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Comment: New Imperial boss rolls out her vision  

Alison Cooper, who has been appointed as the new chief executive of the cigarette manufacturer Imperial Tobacco, said she wants the firm to be known for ‘sales growth’ as well as ‘cost control’.

But a quick scan through the firm’s full year results suggests that its focus on cost control has served it well and such a strategy could be the best approach in years ahead.

Unlike its only quoted rival in the UK, British American, whose acquisitions have been focused on growth markets such as Indonesia and Turkey, Imperial’s main focus has been the integration of Franco-Spanish rival Altadis, concentrating on synergies rather than growth.

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