From left: Nikki French, Linda Wilson, Di Houldsworth, Anna Ford, Adrian Toomey


The ice cream brand building team at Unilever UK is led by marketing manager Di Houldsworth. Houldsworth has worked at Unilever UK for ten years, during which time she has held a number of roles in the frozen food and ice cream categories. She took up her current role in October last year.
She leads a team of five, which includes Anna Ford, brand manager for Magnum, Adrian Toomey, brand manager for Carte d&'Or, Nikki French, brand manager for Wall&'s Cornetto and overall Wall&'s communication, Sheila Hesketh, brand manager for Wall&'s tubs range and Viennetta, and Linda Wilson, assistant brand manager for Wall&'s kids ranges. The team is also helped out by a marketing assistant, project manager, management trainee and team secretary.

Because the ice cream season is well and truly underway, the team is currently being kept busy with communication activities, with many TV and press advertisements either on air or about to go on air. They have also been working on the launch of Wall&'s photo competition the Great British Summer. &"It&'s an extremely busy time for the team,&" says Houldsworth.

Houldsworth says that, because of the nature of the ice cream season, the team works on a September-August year. In September new ideas are presented to the trade, the products are launched in February and then in July planning begins for the following season.
&"We&'re planning our ranges for next year and finalising our winter season launches,&" says Houldsworth. &"We&'ve got big plans,&" she adds, although she&'s keeping it all under wraps until then.

Although the team was only created late last year, it is already working well. &"We&'ve all come into the team in new roles at the same time so we&'ve formed as a team together,&" says Houldsworth. &"We are known to be fun and when the sun is out we all get a little bit overexcited.&"
She adds that the team works in a fun environment surrounded by brightly coloured walls, flip flops and beach balls. &"It&'s a pretty fun place to work,&" she says.

Who's in the team?
What are they currently working on?

What are the team's plans for 2006 and beyond?

How does the team work together?

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