By James Wells
SYDNEY: Major Electrical Appliances (MEA) national marketing manager, Nick Cook, has resigned to pursue a career in the film industry after a successful start as executive producer of the most successful documentary in Australian history – Bra Boys.
“I have decided to leave MEA and take the plunge into my own business venture,” Cook said today.
“I have very much enjoyed my times with the organisation and especially the people I have worked with.”
Cook has decided to leave MEA, a division of Hagemeyer Brands, to pursue a career in the film industry after previously balancing both jobs simultaneously.
Cook was executive producer of the Bra Boys film alongside narrator Russell Crowe and was previously the founder of Sour Grapes film festival which ran for four years prior to the theatrical release of the documentary in 2007.
“Film is something I have passion for and had success with. I thought about it and told myself if I don’t take the chance now I will kick myself when I’m 65.
Cook has worked with MEA since 2001 when he was marketing manager of Blanco and responsible for the re-launch of the brand under the ‘Performance First’ slogan which since then has grown by 50 per cent.
Since then Cook has also been responsible for the launch of the French cooking brand De Dietrich which has sold exclusively through Clive Peeters stores.
Over the 2008/9 summer sell-in and sell through retail period, Cook has also overseen the growth of the Omega Altise brand to the number one position in the seasonal cooling category in fans and portable air conditioning.
MEA has not announced a replacement for Cook, who will leave the business on Wednesday.