Alfa Romeo appoints UK marketing chief
Alfa Romeo has appointed Roland Ellison as its chief marketer in the UK, replacing Jeff Culkin, who left last month after his marketing director’s role was scrapped (MW May 26).
Ellison, who was a product marketing manager at Alfa’s parent company Fiat Auto, will take the title of marketing manager, and will report to operations director José Garvia. Ellison has also worked for the Fiat Group in Italy.
Culkin, a former UK sales director at Alfa, was made UK marketing director last year, replacing former Toyota marketer Robert Frost (MW March 18, 2004).
Before joining Alfa, Culkin was marketing director for Fiat in Ireland. His departure was the latest in a series of changes at Alfa Romeo and Fiat.
Fiat UK appointed Giulio Salomone as managing director – the company’s third in as many months – in April (MW April 28). He replaced Garvia, who was put in charge of Alfa in the UK.
At the start of the year, former Rolls-Royce chief executive Karl-Heinz Kalbfell took over as chief of Alfa Romeo, replacing Daniel Bandiera.
Alfa’s advertising account is held by HHCL Red Cell, while Leo Burnett is responsible for Fiat’s advertising across Europe.