Kimberly-Clark Creates CMO Post; Cuts 350 Jobs

Kimberly-Clark Corp. has named Anthony Palmer to the newly created position of chief marketing officer, aligning marketing activities from its various businesses under one leader. The position takes effect toward the end of October.

With the company’s four businesses—consumer and personal care, health care and professional—aligned under one marketing roof, Palmer will be responsible for leading the development of a global, enterprise-wide focus on marketing, the company said.

Most recently, Palmer worked for Kellogg Co. as managing director U.K. He also has management and marketing experience with Coca-Cola, CSR Refined Sugars and Mars Confectionery Australia.

The Irving, TX-consumer products giant also said it plans to lay off about 350 people as it outsources parts of its human resources, information technology and administrative departments. The move is part of its efforts to trim corporate payroll by 10% or 6,000 jobs by 2008 (about 1,000 employees have been notified so far), according to news reports. The positions effected will be in Neenah, WI, where the company was previously based.

Kimberly-Clark brands include Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend.