Revlon set to recruit pan-European chief

Cosmetics manufacturer Revlon is considering upgrading its vacant

UK PR manager role to cover Europe following the appointment of a new UK

general manager earlier this month.

Revlon UK is in the midst of a restructuring program with Chris Taylor

appointed as UK general manager and several other senior appointments

expected, including a decision on the role of PR manager.

The PR role has been vacant since the departure last month of Linsey

Wooldridge to become European PR manager at out-of-town retailer BAA

McArthurGlen (BMG).

Despite being the second largest US cosmetics group, behind L’Oreal,

Revlon has spent much of 1999 seeking a buyer in the wake of decreasing

sales. In the first half of 1999 Revlon posted net sales of pounds 622

million compared to pounds 669 million in the first half of 1998. The

brand also has pounds 1 million in long-term debt.

The PR function is currently the responsibility of Marion Casey, who has

six years’ experience as a press officer at Revlon. She confirmed that

the present PR structure is currently under review.

One possibility is that the role will be extended to cover Europe. To

date, depending on whether the market is run by Revlon or a distributor,

each market has been handled by a separate in-house team or agency.

Wooldridge said that the UK office had shared some responsibility for

European projects with US-based global PR head Allyn Seidman.

Revlon offerings include cosmetics under the Revlon, Ultima II, and

Almay brands, as well as skin-care products, hair colouring and

perfume.

Wooldridge worked at Revlon for four-and-a-half years, heading a

UK-focused internal team of three which carried out all its PR

tasks.

In her new role at BAA McArthurGlen, Wooldridge is responsible for PR

strategy and agency co-ordination.

BMG uses Mercury PR as its national consultancy, while corporate PR is

handled by WMC Communications and local agencies for each of its

stores.

Caroline Neville Associates has just been appointed to handle the PR for

a new store in Ashford, Kent.

BMG has five UK operations and three elsewhere in Europe. The company

owns out-of-town warehouse stores and rents space to designer labels to

sell surplus or discontinued ranges.