Bentley Motors poaches top Ferrari GB marketer

Ferrari GB marketing director James Pillar has been appointed director of marketing communications at Bentley Motors. He replaces Mark Tennant, who is leaving Bentley after nine years. It is not known whether he has a job to go to.

Pillar, who has been with Ferrari for three years, will report to global sales and marketing director Stuart McCullough at Bentley. Ferrari is understood to be looking for a replacement.

A former Porsche, Lamborghini and TVR marketer, Pillar joins Bentley in the new role of director of marketing communications. Tennant, who is leaving “in pursuit of other interests”, was made marketing and public relations director when Bentley’s previous global head of sales and marketing, Adrian Hallmark, left to head Volkswagen in North America (MW September 22, 2005). It is not yet clear who will take on Tennant’s PR responsibilities.

Volkswagen’s previous head of North American operations, Len Hunt, was meant to swap jobs with Hallmark last year but three weeks after being announced as Bentley’s global sales and marketing chief, he resigned to become chief executive of Kia in the US.

McCullough, who was Lexus marketing director for Europe at the time, was appointed to replace Hallmark in January this year, joining the company officially in April. McCullough has also held UK marketing positions at Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen.

McCullough says: “We are delighted to welcome James to the team but, in doing so, I would also like to thank Mark for his tremendous contribution to Bentley’s success in the last few years.”

Bentley’s UK sales were down almost 14% at the end of October, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.