Dunkin’ Brands Makes Top-Level Marketing Shift

MediaPost Publications:

Dunkin’ Brands’ Thursday announcement that it is “strengthening” its senior leadership team by putting veteran retail executive John Costello in the new position of chief global customer and marketing officer also carried the news that Frances Allen, brand marketing officer for Dunkin’ Donuts for two years, has concurrently “decided to step down.”

Earlier this month, Dunkin’ Donuts president and chief brand officer William Kussell stepped down as Nigel Travis — who had moved from president/CEO of Papa John’s to succeed Jon Luther as Dunkin’ Brands’ CEO in January 2009 — also took over the Dunkin’ chain’s day-to-day operations.

Costello, described as “one of the early pioneers of multichannel marketing,” has served as EVP of merchandising and marketing at The Home Depot, senior EVP of Sears and chief global marketing officer of Yahoo, as well as president of Nielsen Marketing Research U.S. and top executive of several other companies. His earlier career included senior marketing and brand management positions at Procter & Gamble and serving as SVP of sales and marketing at Pepsi-Cola, USA.

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