Burson-Marsteller has drafted in the Body Shop’s global
communications head, Gavin Grant, as chairman of its UK public affairs
practice.
Grant will take responsibility for the nine-strong UK public affairs
team. This forms part of the agency’s pan-European public affairs
division, which is headed by Allan Biggar, to whom Grant will
report.
Grant has already started work on a European fire safety campaign aimed
at the commercial and public sectors and will lead its UK team.
Grant said: ’Having worked in-house, I have a sense of what clients need
and expect from an outside agency.’
His departure from the Body Shop has prompted a major restructure of the
company’s communications. Marketing director Donald Damask has created
two separate communications functions; Grant reported directly to
founder Anita Roddick.
The head of campaigns and public affairs, and formerly Grant’s number
two, Steve McIvor will oversee a team of six reporting to Damask.
Separately, a new head of PR role has been created to tie together the
previously disparate PR departments covering products, Colourings, and
corporate reputation. This is temporarily managed by McIvor.
Grant’s other key area of responsibility, internal communications, has
been hived off to the human resources department.
