Staff cuts at Work24 leaves marketing chief out of work
Simon Ward, the marketing director of Work24, the online joint venture between ScottishPower and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), has been made redundant following the utility company’s decision to scrap its plans to sell telecoms and financial services.
Ward, who has been with the company for less than four months, does not have a job to go to.
Work24’s entire staff has been made redundant. A spokeswoman says: “The two companies are trying to redeploy the staff within their organisations.”
Work24, a £70m joint venture, was set up in February last year to enable small and medium-sized businesses to harness the commercial benefits of the Internet by offering various products and services.
Ward says: “I have a lot of options at the moment, but will have to wait and see. Both ScottishPower and RBS are making a range of positions available.”
Ward, has been in marketing for 15 years. He was previously a director at Telecom Express and Clarke Hooper Consulting marketing agency group, both owned by Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO (MW November 9).
ScottishPower has also dropped its scheme of providing cheap telecoms through Thus, its telecoms subsidiary. The initiative was rolled out as a pilot scheme in autumn last year.
Scottish Power floated Thus last year, but still owns 50.1 per cent of the company.