By James Wells

SYDNEY: Procter and Gamble, the new parent company of Braun, Oral-B and Duracell, has announced a new personnel structure following the purchase of Gillette by the fast moving consumer goods specialist last year for $US57 billion.

Over the last three months, Gillette Australia has relocated from its Scoresby premises to the Procter and Gamble offices located at Rydalmere in Sydney and this week Flavio Palumbo was officially announced as the brand manager and the executive in charge of the Braun, Oral-B and Duracell brands in Australia.

Adelaide-born Palumbo, who has not worked previously for Gillette Australia, relocated from the Gillette UK office on 1 April. Palumbo replaces many of the responsibilities previously held by Braun business manager Daniel Barnett – who has moved to Singapore as business manager for Gillette in the South East Asian region.

Approximately 80 per cent of Barnett’s responsibilities will be the Australian market and both he and Palumbo report directly into Gillette’s Asia subsidiary.

Reporting to Palumbo is Braun assistant brand manager – Mirian Shoolman and Oral-B assistant brand manager – Mary-Anne Kamel who have both relocated from the Melbourne office.

Palumbo has also appointed Bo Lu as marketing, strategy and planning manager (MS&P) for the Braun and Duracell brands.

“The MS&P function works very closely with sales to make sure that we are driving the right marketing plans into store and making sure that the customer’s voice is being heard within the marketing team. It will be listening to what retailers are saying and making sure that the strategies that are meeting their needs,” Palumbo told current.com.au.

An additional assistant brand manager is yet to be appointed.

Under the Procter and Gamble ownership, Braun will retain its own sales representatives. Managing sales for the independent retail channel and department sales is Neil Mogridge.

Palumbo believes the retention of this sales function proves that Procter & Gamble is committed to the electrical appliance business and the Braun, Oral-B and Duracell brands.

Current.com.au understands 14 sales representatives will be employed by Procter & Gamble for independent electrical retailers and department stores.

“We have brought a number of members from our field force back in house as they have considerable amount of experience in the industry. We recently worked out that our sales representatives collectively have well over 100 years of experience between them. I believe that actions speak louder than words and for us to be integrated into P&G and have an integrated work force shows the commitment that we are prepared to put behnd the business," Palumbo said.

“Everyone has acknowledged it is an important part of the business and we are not going to change the strategies that have already been put into place and our product pipeline is stronger than it has ever been.

“The message to our retailers is that through Braun, we are focusing and investing in this area and the business will not be something we are going to let go. The support will continue to be there for retailers and is likely to increase for those who are selling the products and making money through it as well.

“Retailers won’t see any significant changes to the way we do business.”