Philip Morris International employs some 3,000 people in Switzerland (Keystone / Laurent Gillieron)
Tobacco giant Philip Morris says 265 jobs in Switzerland will be affected by restructuring plans, of which almost two-thirds of posts may be transferred to other European sites.
After much uncertainty and news speculation, Philip Morris (PMI) confirmed on Monday its restructuring plans at operational centres in Lausanne and Neuchâtel in French-speaking western Switzerland.
The firm expects 265 jobs to be affected by the changes, of which 60% may be transferred to PMI sites in Lisbon, London or Krakow. Staff have been involved in consultation talks and will be informed of the definitive changes by the end of March, PMI said.
It confirmed that the restructuring in Switzerland was linked to its plans to concentrate on smokeless products.
“These last few years we have increased the number of staff and recruited new professional profiles to focus as swiftly as possible on a smokeless future,” said Charles Bendotti, PMI’s Senior Vice President for Human Resources. He added that the multinational remains attached to its global operations centre and R&D headquarters in Switzerland.
Philip Morris International employs some 3,000 people in Switzerland. Philip Morris S.A., based in Lausanne, is responsible for sales and marketing activities in Switzerland. The lakeside city is also home to PMI’s global operations centre, employing 1,500 people. PMI’s research and development centre in Neuchâtel, employs more than 400 staff.
The PMI announcement comes months after Japan Tobacco International announced 268 job cuts from its Geneva headquarters.
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