LG Electronics marketing chief leaves for Euro role

LG Electronics’ top marketer Mark Bernard is leaving the company after just over two years. A former Casio marketer to helped relaunch the brand for the youth market, Bernard will step down from LG at the end of the month to take up an unknown European marketing role.

Bernard’s departure is the latest in a series of changes to LG’s marketing department in recent months. LG Mobile marketer John Bernard, no relation to Mark, left last year to join Sony Ericsson in a global marketing role (MW August 9, 2007).

Mark Bernard joined LG as UK general manager for corporate marketing in February 2006. He replaced Connie Park, who moved to the company’s South Korean headquarters the previous month (MW January 12, 2006).

During his time at LG, Bernard oversaw the launch of the brand’s LED screen in Piccadilly Circus, as well as sponsorship deals with Arsenal and Fulham football clubs (MW May 17, 2007).

Prior to joining LG, he was marketing director for Casio UK and Ireland, where he helped relaunch the brand. Bernard is also a former European marketing director of Polaroid.

LG is poised to announce a naming rights sponsorship deal with the NEC Arena in Birmingham (MW last week). The 12,300-seat venue is likely to be renamed as the LG NEC or LG Arena as part of the deal.

At the beginning of the year, Jeremy Newing was appointed as head of marketing for the mobile division (MW.co.uk January 7). He joined from Benefon, the handset manufacturer that specialises in GSM/GPS devices, where he was chief marketing officer. Newing reports to UK sales and marketing director John Barton at LG Mobile.