Which? hands top post to NI marketer

Geoff Hurst has been appointed marketing director of the Consumers’ Association, publisher of the Which? guides.

Hurst replaces former marketing director David Sneesby, who left the company over six months ago.

Hurst will be responsible for the Which? magazines and online products portfolio, which has an annual turnover of &£50m and a marketing spend of &£12m.

Claydon Heeley Jones Mason handles the association’s creative account, and media is through WWAV Rapp Collins Media and Direct MediaCom.

Hurst, previously marketing director for new media brands at News International, oversaw the relaunch of The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun and The News of the World online.

He is also a former head of marketing at Yellow Pages, where he was instrumental in taking the brand online. Hurst later moved to BT, where he was responsible for large-scale campaigns and tactical marketing.

Consumers’ Association director Sheila McKechnie says Hurst, who takes up the position on March 12, has the ideal track record to manage marketing for the association and Which?.