WPP shop to pick up Barclays

Dialogue Marketing Group, part of WPP’s Ogilvy Group, has won a place on the Barclays roster to handle the high street bank’s Wealth Management unit.

Dialogue, which specialises in direct marketing and sales promotion, is understood to be working with the Barclays division on all its advertising, marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) programmes. A spokeswoman for the bank declined to comment on the appointment.

Barclays Wealth Management has had no agency of note since recent structural and management changes. The unit has undergone considerable change since it became part of the Barclays Capital division in December 2004, headed by group president Bob Diamond. Previously Bartle Bogle Hegarty had produced several pieces of work for the unit.

Wealth Management chief executive Tom Kalaris was recruited to the division in January this year and a spokeswoman confirms that plans are afoot to “develop” the business. Last month Barclays Capital reported to the City “excellent growth” in revenue and profit. It said the lender’s Wealth Management unit had “strong” income growth, driven by increases in client funds and transactions.

Barclays Wealth Management is the leading wealth manager in the UK and incorporates businesses including Barclays Stockbrokers, Barclays Private Bank, Barclays Financial Planning and Gerrard Investment Management.