Philip Malpass, Rhone-Poulenc head of UK communications and PR, is
leaving to take the top public relations job at Bass Brewers.
He replaces Ian Morris who quit last year to become head of external
affairs at the telecoms company Ionica. (PR Week, 11 October).
Malpass pipped three other shortlisted candidates to the estimated
pounds 120,000 salary post including Bass’ communications manager Lesley
Allman.
He reports to Iain Napier, chief executive of Bass Brewers, maker of
Hooper’s Hooch, Carling Black Label, Tennent’s and Caffrey’s Irish
Ale.
Malpass joined Rhone-Poulenc, the chemicals-to-pharmaceutical group, in
1989 when it acquired RTZ Chemicals. He was working at RTZ as group
editor and PR manager.
In 1990 he landed the top PR job at Rhone-Poulenc, heading internal,
external communications. He also took on crisis and issues management
for the company, which owns the pharmaceutical firm Rhone-Poulenc
Rorer.
Malpass starts work at Bass on 1 April at the head of a communications
team of nine. Among them will be Allman (although she is now planning to
take maternity leave a few weeks after Malpass arrives), brand PR
manager Jane Sabini and internal affairs chief Mike Maryon.
One of Malpass’ tasks will be to handle the company’s response to the
findings of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, which is
investigating Bass’ pounds 200 million takeover of rival
Carlsberg-Tetley.
Bass Brewers is the brewing division of Bass PLC. The
Burton-on-Trent-based firm recorded an operating profit of pounds 157
million in 1995/6.
Rhone-Poulenc has not yet found a replacement for Malpass and is
considering an internal re-organisation of its communications division
before making any decisions.
Aside from over-the-counter and pharmaceutical drugs, Rhone-Poulenc
produces fibres and polymers, agrochemicals, insecticides and
engineering plastics.
