Burger King’s man in Madrid set for EMEA insights role

Baños, a consumer insights manager based in Madrid, is currently responsible for market research and insights for southern Europe, principally Spain, Portugal, Italy and Turkey. He has been with the burger chain since August 2008, before which he worked in research for Orangina Schweppes.

He is set to be handed expanded responsibilities after the departure of George Davidson, customer insights manager for north-west Europe, whose role was one of 40 UK-based positions made redundant several weeks back. Some 2% of the company’s UK headcount has been lost to staff cuts, and most jobs are believed to have been lost at Burger King’s Slough headquarters.

Davidson was believed to have been the only UK-based researcher left with the business following the departure of EMEA consumer insight director Kay Wright, who quit to join Millward Brown as an account manager in August. She was not replaced.

As part of the restructure Burger King’s UK-based marketing team was scaled back from ten to four positions. Sarah Power, UK and Ireland marketing director, left the business in January ahead of the cuts, and her role is being filled on an interim basis by Duncan Osborne.

Recently the firm named John Schaufelberger as senior vice president of marketing for Europe, Middle East and Africa. He was previously vice president of global product and innovation.

Burger King was bought by private equity group 3G Capital in a $4bn deal in October.

Update @ 11.32am – This just in from a Burger King spokesman:

“Burger King Corporation can confirm that Iker Vazquez Baños has been appointed to the position of senior manager of consumer insights for EMEA following his previous role of consumer insights manager for the Mediterranean division. He will report into John Schaufelberger, senior vice president of marketing for EMEA, with a focus on strengthening the position of Burger King as one of the world’s premier consumer brands.”