Callaway Golf Company announced yesterday that Ian B. Rowden has been named an Executive Vice President of Global Advertising. Rowden, 40, a native of Australia and a former Coca-Cola Executive, will lead global brand advertising and related marketing efforts for the world’s largest golf club – golf ball company. This is a newly created position recently alluded to by Ely Callaway in the company’s August 8 press release announcing other re-organisation plans and details.
Most recently, Rowden served as Vice President and Director of Worldwide Advertising for The Coca-Cola Company. In this capacity, he was instrumental in the development of successful global and local advertising campaigns for brand Coca-Cola and the company’s complete array of popular soft-drink brands. “Ian will make a wonderful addition to our team,” said Ely Callaway, Chairman and CEO of Callaway Golf Company. “Our growing business has expanded to 84 countries. We know that Ian’s extensive international marketing experience and advertising savvy will be a real boost to our organisation in further building the Callaway Golf brand name.”
“I am enormously grateful for the opportunity to join the Callaway organisation,” Rowden said. “I am not only excited about the various opportunities ahead for the company, but also the chance to be involved in an industry that I enjoy and feel so very passionate about.”
A 15-year marketing veteran, Rowden was named last year into the Advertising Hall of Achievement. Sponsored by the American Advertising Federation, it is the advertising industry’s premier award for outstanding professionals age 40 and under.
Prior to moving to Atlanta with Coca-Cola in 1996, Rowden worked from 1993-95 as Vice President of Marketing for the Company’s China Division in Hong Kong. He began his career with The Coca-Cola Company in Australia in the early 1980s, holding various sales and marketing positions. He left Coca-Cola in 1988 to serve as General Manager, Marketing of the Power Brewing Company in Brisbane and later became a director and managing partner of DDB Needham, Sydney. Rowden returned to Coca-Cola in 1992, when he became Vice President of Marketing for the Company’s South Pacific Region based in Sydney, Australia.