First Direct’s top marketer Lisa Wood exits

 First Direct’s top marketer Lisa Wood has left the direct bank after two years in in the head of marketing role. 

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She will be replaced on an interim basis by head of customer communications Zoe Shore. It is not known if Wood has a job to go.

Wood was appointed head of marketing, overseeing brand strategy, advertising and customer acquisition, in August 2012. She had been with First Direct or parent company HSBC in senior marketing roles for almost 20 years and was recently named in Marketing Week’s Vision 100 list.

Her successor joins will join a bank regularly ranked top for customer satisfaction. It was recently named the best current account provider by comparison site USwitch and best banking brand by Which?

The online and telephone bank made its first appearance on UK high streets last month when it installed 12 Space Invader-themed cash points at a number of railway stations. 

The move was part of its “unexpected bank” positioning launched last year with a JWT London ad that highlighted its points of differentiation. Last year also saw First Direct sign its first naming rights deal when it put its name to the Leeds Arena. 

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