Private Patients Plan picks Allied man as brands chief

Private Patients Plan, the UK’s third largest health insurance group, has recruited a top marketer from Allied Bakeries to the newly created post of head of brand management.

PPP is building its brands in an aggressive assault on market leader BUPA.

Chris Webster left Allied Bakeries last week to take holiday before starting at PPP.

He is credited with designing the successful “Butler” campaign for Kingsmill bread.

Webster will report directly to PPP marketing director

Andy Brown, who joined in

February from RAC, where he was head of marketing.

In February, the company appointed the New Saatchi agency to create PPP’s first national advertising campaign. The account was previously held by GGT Direct, and last year PPP spent about 730,000 on advertising (Register-MEAL).

The company centralised its marketing at the beginning of this year (MW January 20) following the departure of two marketing executives. PPP Corporate Direct’s head of direct marketing David Bitten and PPP Personal Division head of sales and marketing Clive Harris both left the company.