Gary Coombe is leaving his role as general manager for beauty at Procter & Gamble UK & lreland.

P&G said that Coombe was leaving to take up the role of general manager of P&G's fabric & home care new business development, based at the company's global HQ in Cincinnati, US.

He took up the role of general manager for beauty in September last year, replacing Gino De Jaegher, who was promoted to the role of marketing director for baby, family and femcare (The Grocer, 10 September, p17). In this role he was also responsible for the Gillette marketing operations team.

He has worked for P&G since 1986 and during that time has held a number of senior roles, both in the UK and internationally, and has worked on a number of the company's brands.

Prior to his beauty general manager role he was general manager for customer business development.

He has also held the roles of marketing director for laundry in Western Europe, marketing director for UK laundry and marketing manager for Pampers.

In his earlier career at P&G he was area manager for the north west, national account manager for Asda and worked in customer marketing for Pampers

and Always.

A spokeswoman for P&G said that it would not be replacing Coombe because his role in the UK had been to see through P&G's integration of Gillette following its acquisition last year. "This has now taken place so the role has run its course," she added.

As a result, Nigel Smith, marketing director for Gillette male and grooming; Keith Martin, marketing director for skincare, cosmetics and healthcare; and Tom Moody, marketing director for haircare and oral care, who all previously reported to Coombe, will now report directly to Gianni Ciserani, vice president and general manager for P&G UK & Ireland.?