Global role for senior Land Rover marketer

Land Rover has handed product marketing director Colin Green overall control of global marketing as part of a restructure aimed at pushing the Ford-owned marque’s green credentials.

The reshuffle follows brand communications director Julian Whitehead’s appointment as director of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (MW last week).

Land Rover split its top marketing role between Green and Whitehead two years ago after Whitehead was promoted to the brand communications role from UK sales director (MW May 26, 2005).

But Green has now taken on Whitehead’s brand responsibilities and assumed the title of global marketing director. He will continue to report to Land Rover managing director Phil Popham.

As part of the marketing restructure, director of global product and brand communications Andrew Roberts has added “3D marketing” to his role. Roberts will now be responsible for motorshows and Land Rover’s partnerships with organisations including Earthwatch and the Royal Geographic Society on top of his communications and public affairs duties.

Whitehead will lead Land Rover’s sustainability programme and it is thought he will work closely with Green in his new role.

Whitehead says: “It’s about developing strategies that enable us to meet the environmental challenge. It’s also about making sure our marketing messages are appropriate to the way the market is moving.”

It emerged at the weekend that Land Rover is considering launching a battery-powered version of its compact Freelander 4×4 that will be 30% more economical than the present model.