Barclays hands Emmet Burns reins to UK retail marketing

Direct response chief takes role after incumbent Dave Jeppesen stands down.

Barclays

Barclays has promoted Emmet Burns to the role of marketing director for UK retail banking.

He replaces Dave Jeppesen, who is to step down in August to return to the US. It is not known whether he has a job to go to. Burns moves from his current role as director of response-based marketing.

Burns joined Barclays last year from US bank Washington Mutual, where he was senior vice-president of direct marketing. He also previously worked at Procter & Gamble as a brand manager.

Jeppesen has been head of UK retail banking since 2007, when he took over from Jim Hytner. He also previously worked as head of direct response at the bank.

Hytner introduced several strategies to make the bank seem less formal. These included calling its ATMs the “hole in the wall” and developing the “inventive spirit” campaign. However, Barclays global retail and commercial chief marketing officer Libby Chambers, working with Jeppesen, introduced a new brand positioning at the start of 2009. This was marked by the bank retuning to television advertising for the first time in 18 months.

The retail bank’s “one small step” campaign launched in March in the wake of the international banking crisis. It was devised to communicate the message that Barclays can help customers stay in control of their personal finances.

Burns will now head up all UK retail banking marketing activity including advertising and in-branch merchandising across all retail bank products and distribution channels. He reports to Chambers.