The restructured Transactis has announced that Peter Thompson, a former key player at Experian, is taking on the role of commercial director at the customer insight and database marketing firm – adding his name to a growing list of major data industry figures now working for the former CDMS.
Joining Thompson as a vital addition to the new management team is ex-Acxiom European director of consumer insight products Lisa Chittenden, who becomes Transactis’ data strategy director.
The new Transactis, the result of the recent merger of insight-based direct marketing firm CDMS and transactional data provider Transactis, combined the top management teams of the two operations in December while making a number of other important additions to the leadership group of the restructured company.
The appointments of Thompson, formerly commercial director at Experian, and Chittenden, a member of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Data Council, follow the hiring of Barry Smith, previously head of data at JaywingDMG, as client development director.
Under the leadership of chief executive David Steele, Transactis has broadened its offering of data and one-to-one marketing solutions to encompass: insight; transactional prospect data; cutting-edge data technology; data and database management; graphics, image management and catalogue production; bills, statements and other customer communications; campaign management; and campaign execution.
Thompson is responsible for ensuring that Transactis, whose clients include Nationwide, Betfair, HM Revenue and Customs, Damart and Shop Direct Group, provides and develops the products and solutions its customers need to deal with the business challenges they face in today’s tough marketplace. That will mean developing close relationships with both existing clients and those that approach Transactis looking to boost their database marketing capabilities.
Thompson’s most recent position was as an associate at consulting firm Everymind, where he helped organisations implement processes to improve client management. Previously, he led sales and account management teams in the advertising and marketing sector for more than 20 years. For much of his 10-year stint at Experian, he was head of the company’s Prospect Targeting business, helping a wide range of clients maximise return on investment from data-driven marketing activity.
Steele notes: “Peter is an essential hire for us. He brings a virtually unrivalled knowledge of the data market – and the real problems that clients face everyday in their customer and prospect relationships – and a stature in the marketplace that comes with being in touch with the top echelons of marketing for most of his career.”
As data strategy director, Chittenden will work under insight and strategy director Ciara Lillis to help clients establish additional ways of utilising existing and new data to better meet their needs.
Steele says: “Lisa is another big appointment for Transactis as we need to be able to help clients get more out of their data. She will use her considerable experience and expertise to work with clients to look at what data is useful, what data is available in the market, who has it, how to get value out of it, and how to maximise its benefits.”
Chittenden has spent more than 20 years working in consumer lifestyle organisations, including CMT, Claritas and Consodata, as well as Acxiom. She has worked mainly on the data products side and her responsibilities have included running analytics teams, designing data products, evaluating data acquisition plans, running high value database build projects, developing strategic partners.
Smith, also on the DMA Data Council, took on the newly created post of client development director in December. His 15 years’ experience in various strategic development roles with leading marketing services firms, including Jaywing, Experian Integrated Marketing and Acxiom, has given him an understanding of the marketplace that enables him speak the same language as Transactis’ clients and partners while understanding the challenges they face.
The new management team also includes: product and strategy director Jonathan Davies; operations director Ian Hubbard; finance director Gareth Williams; client directors Sam Holden and Dave Webber; new business director Gareth Ballard; head of marketing Richard Higginbotham; and IT director James Gallacher, who joined in October. Martyn Viquerat leads Transactis Document Solutions, the print division.
Steele sees the new signings as the finishing touches on the company’s recent restructure and rebranding: “We have now put together a management line-up with exceptional client and market knowledge and a track-record of delivery that will enable us to push forward. Additions such as Peter Thompson and Lisa Chittenden will help us to better focus our energies and provide tailored solutions for our clients, whose broad range of requirements vary greatly.”
