blu eCigs UK has strengthened its senior team with a couple of new appointments following the company’s recent rebrand from SKYCIG to US electronic cigarette brand blu eCigs.
The appointments mark another key step in blu eCigs’ plans to replicate the brand’s USA success in the UK market, the company said.
Alistair Hall has been named Commercial Director, responsible for leading the company’s sales, category management and shopper marketing functions. He will also identify new growth opportunities to take the blu eCigs UK business to multi-channel category leading positions and, ultimately, the position of market leader within the electronic cigarette industry in the UK.
Hall brings more than 20 years’ experience across sales, marketing and operations, gained in a number of senior roles within SMEs and global branded FMCG businesses to blu eCigs.
His most recent work includes leading commercial teams and transition projects with Mars, Nestlé, Fortune Brands and E & J Gallo across a wide variety of consumer categories and market channels. This has given him significant experience of building business with the top six grocery multiples and other key players in wider routes to market including the convenience, discount, wholesale and leisure channels.
Commenting on his appointment, Hall said: “I’m thrilled to be joining blu eCigs at a time of such rapid growth following our recent UK launch, and in a category with such immense opportunity. Building a business to meet the ever-evolving consumer needs will be a very exciting challenge as we set ourselves and our customers up for sustainable category success in 2014 and beyond.”
 |  |
The appointments of Alistair Hall (left) and James Dodkin mark another key step in blu eCigs’ plans to replicate the brand’s USA success in the UK market | |
James Dodkin has been appointed Marketing Director, and will oversee the marketing department, encompassing digital, advertising, social media, events, experiential and PR, to advance the current marketing strategy and develop the blu eCigs brand in the UK.
Dodkin is armed with ten years’ experience in marketing and brand management, including over four years with L’Oréal as Senior Brand Manager and two years with Fosters Wine Estates as Group Innovation Manager. In his most recent role as Director for Locale, he successfully launched six new businesses and created over US$35 million in additional turnover. His strong track record of starting, growing and managing businesses places him in a prime position to continue to develop blu eCigs in the UK, the company stated.
Dodkin commented: “I am very excited to be joining blu eCigs. The reasons for joining are clear – it’s a new, growing and exciting category. blu has, in my view, the highest quality product in the market. Furthermore blu has, and will continue to build, an exceptional team, which is 100% committed to making blu eCigs the leading e-cig brand in the UK.”
blu eCigs CEO Jacob Fuller added: “blu eCigs is delighted to welcome James and Alistair to the company; their expertise will develop our position as market leader and support the massive growth the company is experiencing, as well as strengthen the growing marketing and sales departments to take blu eCigs to the next level and push this global brand even further ahead of the competition.”
About blu eCigs
Based in Scotland, blu eCigs UK is the new brand positioning of SKYCIG, one of the leading electronic cigarette brands in the UK. In becoming blu eCigs, a brand with nearly a 50% retail market share in the USA, SKYCIG aims to bring America’s bestselling e-cigarette brand to UK consumers. blu eCigs currently has 110 employees within its Edinburgh and Birmingham offices. This includes a 70-strong sales team, which has been responsible for blu eCig’s expansion with over 12,000 outlets stocking the brand globally.
Available online and at retailers nationwide, blu eCigs come in convenient disposables or rechargeable packs for regular use, with or without nicotine, and in a variety of flavours. In travel retail, the brand is stocked at WHSmith in airports and at 12,000 retail outlets throughout the UK.
