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The new managing director for Raleigh Industries Ltd. is a marketing man, just like his predecessor. MDs prior to Mark Todd tended to have engineering backgrounds. Cynics would say theres no longer a need for management engineering expertise at Raleigh because it has ceased to be an engineering-based company. Raleigh auctioned its high-tech, multi-milllion pound manufacturing plant last week for £500 000.
Phillip Darnton takes over the reins on January 4th 2000. He will have a seat on the executive board of Raleighs US parent company Derby Cycle Corporation as well as being in charge of Raleigh UK, Raleigh Ireland and the Raleigh and Diamondback brands in Europe.
Darnton is an Oxford graduate and much of his working career has been spent with multinationall corporation Unilever. He has a sales and marketing background and gained management experience when running Unilever subsidiaries in Brazil and Candada.
Prior to the Raleigh job, Darnton was the main board executive director for marketing at Reckitt & Coleman, the foods and sundries corporation. He had been in that post since 1996.
Stanford USA-based Gary Matthews, CEO of Derby Cycle Corporation, believes Stanton will turn Raleigh around: Phillip has a strong record and I look forward to working with him. I have great confidence that he will help us to continue the rebound of the Raleigh business in the UK and Ireland as well as maximising the potential of Raleigh and Diamondback across Europe.
