Seymour advises Elida Fabergé

Toiletries giant Elida Fabergé has appointed Seymour Powell partner Richard Seymour as consultant design director to boost the design management side of its operation.

Seymour, who has advised the company informally for nine months, describes the role as “just like [that of] a football coach”, in that he will be coaching the company’s brand and product managers who commission design “to bring in best practice”. There are no plans to recruit new staff, but new talent may be added to the company’s pool of design consultancies over time.

He will also work to develop a more systematic approach to design buying across the company’s brand portfolio and, he says, “act as a headlamp”, looking to the future for the company’s brands. He will not be involved in day-to-day design, most of which is handled through external consultancies.

Seymour compares the appointment, which does not affect his role at Seymour Powell, to that of Pentagram partner John McConnell at Boots the Chemists.

The three-year extendable contract follows a product audit by Elida Fabergé and the appointment of a fragrance consultant.

According to Elida Fabergé innovation manager Margaret Jobling, Seymour was chosen for the job because of his background in both graphics and structure. She also cites his personality. “He has a lot of charisma and strong views, and brings discipline and consistency,” she says.

Elida Fabergé brands include Impulse, Dove, Sure, Lynx, Organics and Timotei. Among the design groups it uses regularly are Lewis Moberly, Tin Horse, FutureBrand, Pearlfisher and Coley Porter Bell.