BT Retail DM chief takes redundancy

BT Retail head of direct marketing Sue Hunt is leaving the company. Hunt, who has been with BT for more than ten years and who oversees an annual budget worth an estimated &£27m, is understood to be taking voluntary redundancy. It is not known whether she has another job to go to.

Most of her responsibilities are to be taken by BT Retail head of research Jet Cooke.

In June 2001, BT Retail appointed Ogilvy One to handle the &£20m direct marketing account for its consumer services after a final pitch against Proximity, which at the time was handling some work for BT Retail’s BT Business division. In February 2003, BT Retail also reviewed the &£7m BT Business direct marketing account, and awarded it to WWAV Rapp Collins. However, it reviewed again after less than six months and awarded the brief to OgilvyOne (MW August 21, 2003).

The telecoms giant is one of the UK’s biggest spenders on direct mail, to both consumers and businesses. A BT spokesman confirms Hunt’s departure, but adds that there are no plans for a review as a result of the changes.