Halfords creates group brand marketing director role

Halfords has appointed former Superdrug marketing director Gerry Murphy to become its first group brand marketing director as the company looks to grow its retail and car service businesses.

/e/x/h/Halfords.jpg

Murphy will lead on brand marketing strategy across its 460 retail stores, its e-commerce site and its recently acquired 230 plus strong car services businesses, Halfords Autocentres.

The roles of Lynn Hayzelden, general marketing manager for retail and Halfords Autocentres marketing director are unaffected.

A spokesman for Halfords says that Murphy has been brought in to help exploit the “huge opportunity to take the Halford’s brand into car servicing”.

The company bought Nationwide Autocentres in February. It is currently rebranding the estate as Halfords Autocentres with plans to nearly double the number of centres over the next five years.

A marketing campaign is being prepared to push the centres upon completion of the rebrand in March.

Murphy joins from 118 118 owner The Number where he was chief executive. He has also held senior marketing positions at Matalan, Toys R Us and SuperDrug, where is credited with repositioning the brand and stores around their beauty proposition