Thomas Cook confirms Hoban as new marketing director

By Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Thursday, 13 September 2012 04:18PM

Thomas Cook has confirmed the appointment of ex-Confused.com top marketer Mike Hoban as its new director of marketing, brand and customer insight.

Marketing revealed last month that Hoban was leaving his role as chief marketing officer of Confused.com

He will join Thomas Cook on 1 October and will be responsible for the marketing functions across all the company's brands, with the additional function of taking responsibility for the group's customer insight and research.

Hoban replaces Michael Johnson, who has been heading up Thomas Cook's marketing since last year. Johnson joined the tour operator in 2009 as the new group brand director, but took the marketing reins fully, after the departure of former chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa in August last year.

Johnson has been the driving force behind Thomas Cook's consumer communications, steadying the brand after a series of financial problems. In March, he launched the tour operator's biggest brand campaign to date, under the strapline, "It is a wonderful world. Explore it with us."

Johnson will work until the end of his contract and then stay for a month's handover period at Thomas Cook, leaving the company in November to pursue other interests.

Read Marketing’s interview with Johnson on the fight to save the 170-year-old business, here.

Hoban was chief marketing officer at Confused.com for two years, until last month. Prior to this, he spent 18 months leading the marketing for the Government's Directgov portal.

Hoban has previously held senior roles at Scottish Widows, Barclaycard, British Airways and WH Smith.

Ian Ailles, Thomas Cook UK chief executive for the mainstream sector, said: "Mike has a strong reputation in his field, having a proven track record of helping companies build and revitalise strong brands, and of delivering commercial growth through best-practice marketing.

"He is very enthusiastic about taking on this new role and having the opportunity to work with such a strong portfolio of brands, and I very much look forward to welcoming him to the team."

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This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk