The next phase of the brand realignment process Beiersdorf initiated under the leadership of Thomas-B. Quaas in mid-2010 has begun, following the successful launch of the Nivea brand campaign “100 Years Skin Care for Life” to round off phase one. To mark this next phase, Ralph Gusko, currently general manager Northern Europe, will assume responsibility for the Brands & Supply Chain executive board position on July 1, 2011, where his mission will be to successfully implement the realignment in the markets in the next phase. Gusko will replace Markus Pinger in this position.
Chairman of the executive board Quaas expects the realignment to receive a further boost from greater closeness to the markets, saying, “The appointment of Ralph Gusko means that the Brands & Supply Chain area will be managed in the future by a successful Beiersdorf manager with extensive international experience. He brings with him an optimum combination of many years’ experience in marketing management and extreme closeness to the markets. We would like to thank Markus Pinger for his hard work and wish him all the best for his future career.”
Ralph Gusko has worked for 22 years at Beiersdorf in a variety of central brand management functions and in regional market management. Among other things, he has a successful track record in brand management as head of marketing in Germany (2001–2005). As general manager, he had overall responsibility for the successful development and expansion of Beiersdorf’s business in South Korea (1995–2001) and in the Thailand, Indochina and Western Asia region (2005–2009). Since 2009, Gusko has been responsible for the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland as general manager Northern Europe. In the highly competitive UK market, he successfully piloted and drove forward the current “Focus on Skin Care. Closer to Markets” consumer business strategy, including the new Nivea brand communication. The experiences gained in the United Kingdom and the United States are now serving as role models for the global rollout of this strategy.