O2 hunts for marketing UK director after Keers move
O2 is looking for a UK marketing director following a sideways move by marketing chief Cath Keers, who is taking up the newly formed position of customer director. She will continue to report directly to O2 UK chief executive Dave McGlade.
The move comes in the middle of a media pitch, which was called last November. O2 is understood to have shortlisted PHD, The Allmond Partnership, Zenith Optimedia, Starcom Group and Media-Com to pitch for the &£33m media planning and buying business (MW November 27, 2003).
Keers will remain UK marketing director until a replacement is found. The telecoms company says the hunt for a replacement is expected to take up to six months.
In her new role Keers will be responsible for the mobile phone company’s customer care strategy, focusing on existing and future customer trends. O2 claims to be the first telecoms company to create such a role at board level.
Keers became O2 UK marketing director in February 2003, after two years as director of consumer business. Previously, she was marketing manager of pre-pay at BT Cellnet.
In November, O2 disbanded its central marketing division, dividing the sector into three territories: the UK, Germany and Ireland. At the time, O2 said it would not replace Will Harris, its former vice-president of brand marketing, who has since become marketing director for the Conservative Party.
