Barclays Insurance chief joins Homeserve

Homeserve, the home maintenance company, has poached Barclays Insurance marketing director Mark Till to join its management board.

Till has been appointed product director for Homeserve GB and will be responsible for the group’s product lifecycle, including new product development and product management, and ensuring the company has a co-ordinated strategy across the business.

He will report to chief executive Jon Florsheim, the former chief operating officer at BSkyB. The appointment marks another step in Florsheim’s programme of transforming the company – a former division of South Staffordshire Water Board, into a marketing-led company. He has previously said he wants Homeserve to be akin to a motoring breakdown service such as the AA for the home.

Till was appointed as Barclays Insurance marketing director in April 2006, taking over from interim chief Rob Rees (MWApril 27, 2006). He has spent most of his career at Barclays and has held a number of roles, including head of Barclays Premier Banking Service.

Florsheim resigned from his post at Sky in 2006 to join Homeserve, as revealed by marketingweek.co.uk. He had been at the pay-TV giant since 1994 and was previously marketing director at Dixons Store Group.

Last year, Homeserve began building its first agency roster ahead of plans to boost the brand (MW August 30, 2007). It appointed brand consultancy Venture Three, Group M and Barracuda Digital. It has also launched a holiday insurance product with retailer Marks & Spencer (MW September 13, 2007).