P&G announces retirement of global external relations officer Otto

CINCINNATI Procter & Gamble has announced the retirement of global external relations officer Charlotte Otto, effective Feb. 15, 2010.

Otto is retiring after 33 years of service and 13 years as head of external relations. She will step down from her current role on July 1, and will then be on special assignment reporting to A.G. Lafley, chairman of the board, to support him in his role as full-time P&G chairman and chair of the 2009 Cincinnati community United Way campaign.

Succeeding Otto is Christopher Hassall, VP corporate communications and reputation and North America external relations. Hassall will assume the new role on July 1, reporting to Robert McDonald, newly elected president and CEO, on corporate-related external relations matters, and to Marc Pritchard, global brand building officer, on brand-related external relations matters.

"Charlotte Otto leaves a strong track record of results in leveraging external relations to build and protect P&G's business and reputation," stated Lafley. "She has championed development of influencer marketing for P&G brands, and advanced breakthrough work to measure its business building impact. She also sponsored P&G's Live, Learn & Thrive corporate cause, which now improves life for more than 60 million children annually around the world, and has played a key leadership role in the Cincinnati community."