British Gas hands Mackenzies marketing role to Jansen

British Gas (BG) has promoted the managing director of its Premier Energy division, Chris Jansen, to be its top marketer, with added responsibility for the brand’s profit and loss.

Jansen will take on the role in addition to managing BG’s Premier Energy division, which he has done since he joined in 2006.

The move coincides with the energy giant’s plans to double its advertising spend this year to an estimated £70m, following recent price hikes.

Jansen, who was formerly head of loyalty at British Airways, will take a more “business-focused” marketing role following a restructure at BG after marketing director Amanda Mackenzie announced her departure to Aviva last week. His promotion comes after only nine months with the company.

In his new role, Jansen will take charge of marketing, data and customer insight teams. BG will also be appointing a marketing director with responsibility for developing the brand, who will report to Jansen.

Head of data communications Oliver White is thought to be taking up an online marketing role.

A BG spokesman says: “Our brand is one of our biggest assets and we need to ensure that our marketing team is set up in the most effective way to maximise it.”

Jansen was at British Airways when it owned the Air Miles Travel Company between 2002 and 2004, and helped relaunch AirMiles. He was also involved in the redesign of the BA executive club card and the launch of its first TV advertising campaign. In 2004, he was appointed as managing director of Air Miles after the sudden departure of Drew Thompson. He held the job for three years and joined BG last May.

Prior to that, Jansen spent seven years at Procter & Gamble, where he was responsible for the Wash & Go brand.

Mackenzie announced last week that she would be leaving the utilities giant to become group marketing director at Norwich Union and RAC owner Aviva.

She was taken on by Centrica three years ago to drive the BG brand. When she takes up her new post she will also sit on Aviva’s executive committee.