Post Office appoints former Barclays marketing chief

Joan%20Collin%2C%20headphonesThe Post Office has drafted former Barclays marketer Andrew Gillespie to drive its focus on customer services as part of its “People’s Post Office” strategy, which was introduced last year.

It is unclear what his job title will be, but in his new role he will work closely with Gary Hockey-Morley, the Post Office’s marketing director. It is thought he will focus on ensuring that the strategy is customer-centric and on integrating it with its joint ventures, such as its franchise partnership with WH Smith.

The role is thought to mirror that of Alex Batchelor, marketing director for the Royal Mail.

The move is understood to be part of an upgrading of the Post Office’s marketing and customer services programme that aims to improve and modernise its service.

In March this year, changes within Royal Mail saw group strategy director Alex Smith promoted to strategy and commercial director. Batchelor and sales director Mark Thomson now both report to Smith who is also tasked with overseeing Royal Mail’s advertising reviews.

Gillespie left Lloyds TSB, where he was marketing and communications director, in June last year to become marketing director of global property company CB Richard Ellis. He is understood to have returned to consultancy after several months at CBRE and worked across a number of projects.

The bank drafted in Gillespie as senior brand marketer on a temporary-to-permanent basis in October 2005. He was later promoted to interim group marketing director after Alan Gilmour stepped down from the role.

Previously, he was retail marketing director at Barclays and head of group marketing at EMAP Active.