Ex-Ford man takes helm at Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo has appointed Andrew Lester, a former Ford marketer, as its UK managing director. He replaces Glyn Owen, who is leaving the company.

The appointment follows a management reshuffle in March, which saw Alfa Romeo move its UK sales director Jeff Culkin to UK marketing director and Mario di Maria brought over from Italy to become sales director (MW 18 March). Previous UK marketing director Robert Frost left Alfa Romeo in January after just over a year in the job (MW January 29).

Lester was formerly marketing director for Jungle.com, which has since been subsumed into Argos, and was also a director of operations at Ford-owned Jaguar. Previously, Lester was advertising manager at Ford when its advertising was moved into Ogilvy & Mather in 1987.

Alfa Romeo withdrew from this year’s British Motor Show, claiming it had better uses for its marketing budget.

Sales of its cars in the UK have fallen over the past year by 19 per cent. However, Alfa Romeo is to launch a series of new models.