Leading home and kitchenware's supplier Imperial has made three key appointments to help strengthen its market position as one of the UK’s fastest growing housewares distributors.  The appointments are a direct result of significant investment in product development and a 50% increase in sales during the last six months since commercial director, John Newcomb, joined the company from Addis.

Kevin Mckay joins the company on a consultancy basis as business development manager.  Kevin has over 28 years’ experience in the housewares industry in various senior buying positions.  Reporting to John Newcomb, he will be responsible for strengthening Imperial’s growing network of department store and independent cookshop retailers.  Kevin will also work closely with Imperial’s in house product development team and seek out a new trading partner that compliments Imperial’s own product ranges and existing partners Enjoy, Madera and Wesco.

Chris Gibson has joined Imperial as new national account manager and brings 17 years’ sales expertise, having held senior positions in the housewares industry with Spearmark and Churchill China.  Chris will manage and grow the high street sector of the business through Imperial’s existing strong retail network.  His key account responsibilities will include BHS, Wilkinsons, Matalan and Robert Dyas, in addition to targeting new retail partners in other key multiple sectors of the market.

Jason Colbridge, a professionally qualified web designer with eight years’ relevant experience, joins Imperial as e-commerce manager.  He will be responsible for optimising Imperial’s internet sales capacity and will be also be working with major retailers such as John Lewis, Robert Dyas and Amazon to develop Imperial’s online business opportunities.

John Newcomb, Imperial’s commercial director, says: “With our investment in product development resulting in such exceptional business growth, we needed to maximise our sales and marketing capacity.”  He continues, “Early response to our product launches including arc42TM, an ergonomic cookware range championed by leading British chef and Hell’s Kitchen star, Gary Rhodes, and Ready Steady CookTM have been extremely successful.  The new appointments will help ensure our product ranges and those of our trading partners continue to enjoy substantial growth throughout 2005 and beyond."



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