Co-op overhauls marketing team as Matt Atkinson exits

The Co-op is understood to be scrapping the role of chief customer and membership officer – following the exit of Matt Atkinson after nearly four years in the job – as part of a shake-up of marketing roles at the retail group.

With group chief executive Steve Murrells crediting Atkinson with “galvanising and repositioning” the Co-op, it seems to be simply a case of “job done, time to move on” for Atkinson, who will leave in June.

The shake-up sees customer and community director Ali Jones and data and loyalty director Charlotte Lock now report directly to Murrells, while Lock will also pick up the additional responsibility for digital products and will also report into chief financial officer Shirine Khoury-Haq and join her leadership team.

The move also follows the appointment of Co-op’s new head of CRM and customer experience, with BBC’s Phil Barker to spearhead a new “centre of excellence”.

The move is part of the retailer’s plans to build its data and loyalty team, following the refresh of its membership programme and launch of the Co-op app last year.

Baker will take the lead in developing a new data and loyalty centre of excellence – bringing data, insight, membership, CRM and customer experience together to deliver value to members, customers and communities.

Atkinson started his career at Interfocus before becoming boss of Havas EHS (now Havas CX Helia). He then landed the job of group marketing and digital officer at the agency’s biggest client, Tesco, in 2011.

He was promoted to chief marketing officer 18 months later, but the role was axed in 2014, although he continued to work for the retailer on a consultancy basis.

Atkinson joined Saga in September 2015 and launched a new membership scheme, called Possibilities, a rebrand for Saga Holidays and the introduction of the organisation’s first strapline, “Keep doing”.

He joined the Co-op in 2017, and was charged with unifying the business around the Co-op brand, and led a significant transformation of its platforms across data, digital, membership and community.

The Co-op credited him for the change in the positioning of key assets, and that its platforms were now capable of meeting the changing needs of customers and members.

Atkinson also helped to create a new insurance distribution business for the Co-op, exiting the firm’s health venture, and reorganising the membership and customer function.

Murrells said: “Matt has played a major role in galvanising and re-positioning our Co-op over the past four years and we owe him a huge debt of thanks for his co-operative approach and leadership during this time. We are saying goodbye to a great friend of the movement and we wish him well for the future.”

Atkinson, who is also non-executive chairman of student affinity network Unidays, said: “I’m proud of the contribution I’ve been able to make and I’m leaving behind some incredible memories and a fantastic team. The Co-op is a special business and will always have a special place in my heart.”