Diners Club hires chief after a two-year gap

Diners Club UK has appointed its first overall sales and marketing director for over two years – former General Cable marketing director Martin Johnson.

He effectively replaces former sales and marketing director Andrew Wilson, who left the company in 1996 to become the first managing director of the Institute of Directors. Johnson will report to managing director of Diners Club UK Don Osvog.

Johnson is one of a number of key executives the company has recruited in the past year to beef up its marketing department.

In February, Richard Roche, who formerly worked at private health insurers Prime Health and Alliance & Leicester, was appointed as vice-president of marketing.

Carol Stanton, who was formerly attached to marketing consultancy Triangle Communications, joined earlier this year as vice-president of service establishment marketing, responsible for developing relationships with outlets that take the Diners Club card. Both she and Roche will report to Johnson.

Roche says: “Johnson will bring a lot of experience to Diners Club. With Martin’s arrival, we will have a full sales and marketing team.”