Police Mutual marketing post created

Finance company Police Mutual has appointed Clare Preston to the newly created position of marketing director.

Marketing was previously handled by business development manager Mark Charnock. The new position has been created to increase the importance of marketing at the boardroom level.

Preston joins from building society Birmingham Midshires – owned by HBOS – where she has been head of insurance marketing for five years.

She will report to Police Mutual chief executive Graham Berville.

Preston is replaced at Birmingham Midshires by Steve Dergis, whose current role as head of new business marketing will be expanded to cover insurance marketing. The two teams will not merge, but Dergis will head both departments. He has been with the company for more than 20 years .

Police Mutual holds funds worth &£1.2bn for its 170,000 customers, making it the largest affinity group friendly society in the UK. Its customers include police officers, civilian support staff and their families.

Birmingham Midshires became part of the Halifax Group three years ago. It employs 2,000 people and manages assets of more than &£10bn. The company consolidated its &£5m advertising account into Delaney Lund Knox Warren in December (MW December 13). It previously used direct marketing agency BDMA Manchester and Grey Worldwide.