Index firms up team to go it alone

Catalogue retailer Index has appointed Mike Makinson as its marketing director. Advertising agency Clark McKay & Walpole has also been signed up to create the brand’s first television advertising push in ten years, as a project.

Under new chief executive Tim James, formerly trading director at Homebase, Index is being transformed into a standalone business. Previously, much of the business was integrated with clothing retailer Littlewoods.

Makinson will be joining Index from T&S Stores, the convenience store chain that was recently bought by Tesco, where he is head of marketing. He has also previously worked for Day & Nite Stores and WH Smith.

Makinson replaces previous Index marketing director Liz McNamara, who left earlier this year to become head of marketing at mail-order retailer Otto UK.

Index operates 162 retail outlets throughout the UK.

In April, Littlewoods poached Matt Stead as marketing director from Marks & Spencer, where he was head of marketing for womenswear (MW April 1).

Littlewoods and Index were bought by the Barclay brothers in 2002 from the Moore family, which had owned the company since its inception as a football pools organisation in 1923.

The Barclay brothers’ purchase of rival GUS, which includes Argos and Homebase, was given the green light at the end of last year.