JANUARY 30, 2002

Marlboro to get a new boss

Geoffrey Bible, the chairman and chief executive of Philip Morris, the parent company of Ferrari sponsor Marlboro, is to step down later this year.

GEOFFREY BIBLE, the chairman and chief executive of Philip Morris, the parent company of Ferrari sponsor Marlboro, is to step down later this year. Bible had headed the company since 1994. It is not yet clear who will replace Bible but the decision is not expected to alter the tobacco company's relationship with Ferrari, which is expected to last until cigarette advertising is banned in F1 - probably at the end of the 2006 season.

Having said that the change of any chief executive opens the possibility of a change of strategy.

It is anticipated that Bible's replacement will either be the company's chief financial officer Louis Camilleri of the head of Philip Morris USA Michael Szymanczyk.