Fiat hires UK marketing chief for Alfa Romeo

Fiat Auto has appointed Robert Frost as its UK marketing director for its luxury car brand, Alfa Romeo. The move follows the Italian car company’s decision to split up the Fiat and Alfa Romeo divisions in the UK.

Frost joins from Toyota’s luxury car marque, Lexus, where he was marketing planning manager. He starts this month and will report to Alfa Romeo UK managing director Glyn Owen, who moved to the new role from Fiat Denmark in May.

Fiat Auto restructured the company last December into four divisions – Fiat and Lancia; Alfa Romeo; International Development; Services – following a decline in market share.

Fiat is also understood to be talking to its four European creative networks about cost savings and a consolidation of its roster. The company, which spends £36m in the UK, is understood to be examining ways to save money across its European operations.

Four agencies work for Fiat, with D’Arcy and Leo Burnett handling the bulk of the business. Italian agency Testa handles some Fiat business in Italy and WPP Group-owned Red Cell handles Alfa Romeo’s pan-European creative account.

Fiat’s UK managing director, Jim Blades, left the company in August. The car company brought in Massimo Toso from its headquarters in Turin to replace him.