Job axe falls on RAC commercial chief
Top RAC marketer David Lewis is the latest high-profile casualty of the company’s &£1.1bn takeover by insurance giant Aviva.
Aviva, which owns the Norwich Union brand in the UK, has scrapped Lewis’s commercial director role. His responsibilities will be handled by incoming marketing director Shaun Meadows, Norwich Union’s director of projects and claims.
It is not known whether Lewis has a job to go to. He was appointed to RAC Consumer Services in 2003 after a seven-month search for a replacement for group marketing director Ken Lee (MW September 11, 2003). Previously he was customer segmentation director at Lloyds TSB and international marketing director for the International Wool Secretariat, where he oversaw the Woolmark brand. Aviva bosses have introduced a raft of changes at the RAC since the takeover in March, parachuting in Aviva managers to key roles at the motoring organisation, which offers insurance, financial, travel and legal services in addition to its core breakdown service. Aviva also plans to combine both businesses’ corporate communications departments.
Last month, the RAC moved its &£11m creative account into Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO without a pitch (MW June 9). The agency already holds Norwich Union’s &£47m account.
Aviva is also expected to put its combined media planning and buying account, worth more than &£60m, up for review (MW March 17), although a spokeswoman says this review will not begin until management changes are finalised. Norwich Union’s media account is held by Brand Connection, while the RAC’s media planning and buying is through Vizeum and All Response Media.
Meadows will report to RAC managing director Simon Machell, who took over from chief executive Andy Harrison in May (MW May 12).
