Abbey director expands role after B&B and A&L buy-out

Abbey brand and communications director Keith Moor has taken on a wider UK group remit following its acquisition of struggling rivals Bradford & Bingley and Alliance & Leicester.

Moor will handle marketing across all three brands, overseeing the overall group marketing function.

Santander, the Spanish owner of Abbey, bought the Alliance & Leicester during the summer, followed by the Bradford & Bingley branch network and its £20bn savings division in September.

The company has transferred an undisclosed number of marketers from both companies, including B&B marketing director Stephen Rowe, to Abbey’s London headquarters.

Moor was promoted to Abbey’s chief marketing role in May this year, following the departure of its brand and communications director, Jeremy Davies, to E.on.

Moor has been part of Abbey’s marketing team for 14 years, and was part of the team that rebranded it from Abbey National on its relaunch under Santander, following its acquisition in 2004. He has also worked with Santander through the group’s sponsorships.

Moor is leading a review of the combined group’s £20m media planning and buying account, which is expected to conclude before Christmas. Carat holds the business for Abbey and Alliance & Leicester, while B&B is handled by MediaCom North.

It is not known if Moor will call a consolidation review of the group’s advertising business. WCRS is the incumbent agency on the Abbey business, and has led its move to the Santander flame logo, and red and white colour scheme. BJL Group is incumbent on B&B, while McCann Erickson Birmingham handles A&L’s business.

It has also been suggested that Santander will look to rename some or all of the business under the parent brand, as it has done globally.