Yo! Sushi appoints Zinc founder as first head of marketing

Japanese restaurant group Yo! Sushi has appointed Georgia Hall as its first marketer.

Hall joins as head of marketing and takes over responsibilities handled until now by chief executive officer Robin Rowland.

Hall has been on a two-year sabbatical, after having a baby. She has worked at Evans Hunt Scott and was founder of new media marketing agency Zinc in 1996. The agency catered for clients such as Microsoft, Tesco and Vodafone.

Havas Advertising took a 40 per cent equity stake in Zinc in 1998 and Hall stayed on as managing director. Under her tenure, the company won accounts such as online travel company Expedia, which it secured in 2001. Hall is also a former head of marketing at Tower Records Europe.

Yo Sushi! has 17 UK and four overseas restaurants and recently opened outlets at Gatwick Airport and House of Fraser in Croydon. It plans five more UK openings in the next few months.

It was founded by entrepreneur Simon Woodroffe in 1997 and in September 2003 venture capitalist Primary Capital acquired a controlling interest for &£3.5m.The restaurant has spent little on advertising but has used Roche Communications to handle partnerships and promotions so far.