Ford Credit hires chief

Car giant appoints first head of Euro marketing for finance arm prior to major branding initiative

The Ford Motor Company has appointed a European sales and marketing director to head finance arm Ford Credit ahead of a major branding push across Europe.

George Halloran moves up from director of operation services to take up the position – a first for Ford Credit in Europe.

Peter Newhouse was in a similar position temporarily while waiting for a visa to move to the company’s US offices last month.

Halloran, who will be responsible for marketing directors in every European country, takes up the post amid speculation that the company is to appoint its first advertising agency.

A Ford Credit spokesman confirmed Halloran’s appointment, saying: “We need to make sure all our products and services have the same look and feel on a global basis.

“We’ve been talking to marketing agencies to see how they would pitch a company like us beyond 2000.”

Changes in the marketing department coincide with a worldwide shake-up in Ford Credit’s senior management.

At the end of last month, Donald Winkler, chief executive of Bank One in the US, was appointed to the post of chairman and chief executive. He replaced Philippe Paillart, who has left the company.

In September, Ford Credit was poised to appoint Ammirati Puris Lintas to a brand-building project, but the agency is unlikely to do any work for the company following its merger last week with Lowe & Partners, which handles the Vauxhall account.