Scottish Power splits top marketing role in merger

Scottish Power is merging its electricity supply and retail marketing operations.

The restructure will leave marketing director David Clarke in charge of national corporate branding, but responsibility for all other marketing passes to Willie MacDiarmid, former managing director of the retail division. MacDiarmid becomes managing director sales and supply.

Clarke takes the new title of marketing and strategic services director, with additional responsibility for IT and human resources.

Both will report to the executive director of customer services Charles Berry.

Clarke says: “We are realigning responsibility across our customer-facing businesses to simplify matters and deliver economies of scale, as the strategy and marketing approach of each part of the business converges.”

The company is drawing up an agency shortlist to centralise its media buying across retail, electricity supply, corporate branding and Thus – its telecoms and Internet subsidiary previously known as Scottish Telecom. Incumbents Motive and Feather Brooksbank have pitched alongside other agencies.

Clarke says Scottish Power is unlikely to centralise its creative account, although its roster may be reviewed. Bartle Bogle Hegarty handles corporate advertising, while the Leith Agency handles energy supply, Faulds Advertising retail and Tullo Marshall Warren direct marketing. Thus uses 999 Design.

Scottish Power recently signed a &£35m joint venture with the Royal Bank of Scotland to offer banking, utilities and insurance services through the Net. A new marketing department will be created, with the aim of launching products this summer – initially through Thus.