Duncan Cunningham appointed new External Affairs Director at PML

Philip Morris Limited (PML), the UK and Ireland affiliate of Philip Morris International (PMI), has appointed Duncan Cunningham to the role of External Affairs Director, as it seeks to reignite the conversation around the UK’s progress towards a smoke-free future.

Joining PML after seven years at Imperial Brands, Duncan previously spent five years at defence and security company Lockheed Martin and seven years as a diplomat in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

His role at PML involves working across government and the full range of stakeholders, to stimulate the adoption of harm reduction policies as the country moves towards a smoke-free future.

“Increased use of e-cigarettes as an alternative to cigarettes has had a significant impact on reducing smoking prevalence in the UK, but more needs to be done to help the country’s remaining 6.7 million adult smokers,”  said Cunningham.

“The opportunity exists to take advantage of technological innovation to help the UK become a world leader in tobacco harm reduction. We hope the new government will support adult smokers that don’t quit, by improving access to, and awareness of, the full range of less harmful alternatives.”

Duncan joins the company as it continues expanding its multi-category offering, with smoke-free products now accounting for 30 percent of PMI’s total net revenues. Since 2008, PMI has invested more than $9 billion in the development and commercialisation of smoke-free products and remains the only tobacco company within the traditional international tobacco industry that is purposefully working to phase out cigarettes completely.

“Duncan has a deep understanding of the interface between government, industry, media and society, and an ability to generate effective strategies to navigate complex political, commercial, and regulatory environments,” said Christian Woolfenden, Managing Director at PML.

“We believe that with the right regulation in place, and support from civil society, we could stop selling cigarettes within 10 years. Duncan’s outstanding track record will help us to realise this ambition.”