Kwik-Fit loses chief marketer McKenzie

Kwik-Fit’s marketing director Douglas McKenzie is leaving the company after 12 years. It is not known if he has a job to go to.

McKenzie, who joined the company as marketing manager in 1994, will be replaced by Chris Bosworth, who takes on the newly created role of business development and marketing director.

Bosworth was appointed business development director for Kwik-Fit in January, but marketing will now be added to his remit following McKenzie’s departure. Bosworth will report to chief executive Ian Fraser in his new role.

Fraser says: “Chris’s appointment underlines our commitment to refining our brand positioning across both existing and emerging markets. There are powerful synergies between the business development and marketing disciplines at Kwik-Fit and it makes sense to combine these into a single role.”

Bosworth joined Kwik-Fit from Orange UK, where he was customer delivery planning director. He also spent two years at M&C Saatchi as group business planner and three years at McKinsey as engagement manager.

Kwik-Fit, which retains DDB London and MediaCom as its advertising and media agencies, is Europe’s largest independent automotive parts, repair and replacement service with more than 1,800 outlets and 9,000 staff.

It was established in 1971 by Sir Tom Farmer but it is now owned by private equity company PAI Partners, which bought it in August last year.