Industry Marketing-Management Shuffle Continues

The industry-wide marketing shakeup that began in August with a top Lexus executive jumping ship for Chrysler LLC continues this week, with Nissan North America Inc. and Ford Motor Co. the latest to feel the effects.

Nissan says Jan Thompson, head of Nissan and Infiniti advertising and marketing, has left the company and will be replaced by Ben Poore, who has worked at Ford since 1994 and has held various marketing and sales positions in the U.S. and Central and South America. Poore will become vice president-marketing communications effective Oct. 8.

The Nissan shakeup follows news earlier this week that Steve Wilhite has resigned his position as chief operating officer of Hyundai Motor America. Wilhite is rumored to be a candidate to replace Francisco Codina, who last week announced his retirement as group vice president-North American marketing, sales and service for Ford. Codina’s retirement is effective Nov. 1.

Onetime Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. sales chief Jim Press defected to Chrysler earlier this month to assume the position of vice chairman and president responsible for North American and international sales, global marketing, product strategy, service and parts.

In going to Chrysler, Press joined former Lexus marketing head Deborah Wahl Meyer, named Chrysler’s new vice president and chief marketing officer in August.