Browning who has been credited with growing the JB HI Fi brand in Australia told ChannelNews. “It was time I have been there for 11 years and the business is in great shape. I decided that I needed a change in direction. I am about to take a break and when I get back I will announce where I am going”.
Richard Murray the CEO of JB Hi said “Scott is a loss but we have a great management team at JB Hi Fi. No decision has been made on a replacement”,
Browning said “During the last 12 months marketing activities have been split with different people taking active roles so the business will continue as normal untill Richard makes a decision on a replacement”.
Rumours that Browning was set to step into a role at Dick Smith have been denied.
Nine months ago Terry Smart the former CEO of JB Hi Fi resigned to be replaced by Richard Murray.
Browning has been the Marketing Director of JB Hi-Fi Limited since March 15, 2004, Prior to joining JB Hi Fi he was National Sales Manager of Kodak’s Consumer Imaging Division for Australia & New Zealand.
During his time with Kodak, he held a number senior management positions in marketing including participation in the worldwide marketing team.
Before joining Kodak, he was an Owner/Operator of Prime Fotos, the largest photo processing business in Tasmania.
Vendors attending the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona which Scott Browning was due to attend said they were shocked.
A senior executive from a major PC vendor said “Scott Browning was unique, he was most probably the best retail marketing director in Australia. He ran rings around Harvey Norman and was responsible for creating the uniqueness of the JB Hi Fi brand”.
Scott Browning joined Richard Uechtritz at JB Hi Fi when the business was in it’s infancy.
Uechtritz had known Browing from his photographic days as he was the co-founder of Rabbit Photo and Smiths Kodak Express.
He was also a Director of Kodak (Australasia) where Browing worked as Marketing Director.
Uechtritz led the management buy-in of JB Hi-Fi in July 2000 and was CEO and Managing Director until his resignation from these positions in May 2010.
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