Co-op picks Morgan as marketing chief

HBoS chief marketer Zoë Morgan quits for newly created director role at Co-operative Group

The Co-operative Group has poached Zoë Morgan, chief marketer at HBoS, for the newly created position of director of marketing.

Morgan, who has also worked at Boots, is marketing director of HBoS’ retail financial services brands including Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Birmingham & Midshires. She will report to Co-op chief executive Martin Beaumont.

Morgan, who joined HBoS in May last year (MW April 3, 2003), will leave at the end of August to join Co-op in November. HBoS general manager product James Corcoran will oversee Morgan’s role until a replacement is recruited.

Prior to joining HBoS, Morgan worked at Boots for nine years, where her responsibilities included the development of a customer relationship management strategy. Her last role at the retailer was strategic marketing director working across its UK retail businesses, including Boots the Chemist and Boots Opticians.

As the Co-op’s first director of marketing she will have responsibility for the Co-operative brand, identifying marketing links across the Group’s trading businesses and working with each of the business teams. She will also work with Co-operative Financial Services marketing director Craig Shannon on joint projects.

Beaumont says: “Until now marketing strategy and execution has been carried out almost exclusively on a business-by-business basis. This appointment will enable us to exploit the potential of the group and give strategic direction to the business teams, whether they are selling holidays, food, pharmaceuticals or electrical products.”

The Co-op is in the process of re-introducing its “divi” card as part of a membership programme that will work across all of the group’s businesses (MW July 15).

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