Apple culls more Euro marketing teams

Apple has begun the second stage of its plan to centralise its European operations in Paris by moving German, Swiss and Austrian marketing teams to French capital, as predicted by The Register. The move follows last December's transfer of UK marketing and advertising operations to Paris and the loss of four jobs at the British HQ. Similar Job cuts will be made in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, according to an Apple source cited by MacWelt. The source also said Apple will end its participation in German Mac-oriented shows, which again mirrors a similar decision made in the UK last year. That involved Apple UK pulling out of Apple Expo 2000, then set to take place next April, causing much consternation among vendors and resellers. Apple Expo 2000 was finally put out its misery last December. Apple's plan here is incorporated into its Top 7 Countries Strategy, said MacWelt's source, which essentially reduces national European divisions -- Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands -- to little more than branch offices of the European HQ. ®