Gianni Ciserani, the highly regarded vice president of Procter & Gamble UK and Ireland will take control of P&G's entire western Europe division.

He moves to Geneva on 1 July as president. His current role will be filled by Irwin Lee, who transfers from P&G China, where he has been running its fast-growing household division.

Ciserani said he was proud of his achievements in this region, and was happy not to lose contact with his UK clients.

"The good news is that [in my new role] I can continue the work I started in the UK," said Ciserani, who won The Grocer Cup at the IGD Awards in 2006, for his successful integration of Gillette into P&G, and his invigoration of P&G's health and beautry brands such as Head & Shoulders, Always and Herbal Essences. "I am postive the things we have started will progress."

Ciserani cited the growth of health and beauty - the "third leg" in the P&G empire - as a highlight of his time in the UK. "We were walking on two legs with our strong historical position in laundry and paper, and the third leg was a bit unsteady, but now it is a very strong leg that is producing results.

"I am delighted that the UK and Ireland business will now be in such capable hands under Irwin Lee," he added. Lee will report into Ciserani along with other VPs in Germany, France, Italy and Benelux.

Procter & Gamble also announced a restructuring of its global business into three new business units: household care, global health and wellbeing, and beauty care, and is reshuffling its top management.

"There is a new generation of managers growing in the company but within the proven P&G organisation structure and with the continuity of AG Lafley, [global business units units president] Susan Arnold and [new COO] Bob McDonald."

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