Jonathan Harman has quit as chief development officer at Aimia to head up Royal Mail’s MarketReach offensive to woo brand owners back to the direct mail market.
Formerly the Mail Media Centre, MarketReach is designed to win back share from digital channels, by offering clients enhanced media planning, data planning and creative services.
All MarketReach staff will report to him, including marketing director Anthony Millar. Harman reports to chief customer officer Mike Newnham.
Harman had been at Aimia (formerly Carlson Marketing) nearly six years, joining as senior vice-president in November 2006. He was promoted to president the following year.
But following the agency’s sell-off to Groupe Aeroplan in 2009, the focus of the business changed, leading to the closure of its creative department.
Under the subsequent rebranding to Aimia last year, Harman was given a business development role. Former Pepsico marketer David Johnston is now Aimia president and chief executive EMEA.
Harman started his agency career at WWAV Rapp Collins (now Rapp) in 1994, eventually becoming an account director. He left in October 1998 to take up the managing director job at Omnicom sister agency Claydon Heeley, where he worked alongside Leo Campbell. The agency also handled Royal Mail business for a while.
By August 2004 he had been appointed chief executive of RMG Connect, charged with a massive restructure of the business, which resulted in a much higher profile for the agency. Harman then left to join Carlson Marketing in 2006. Under his successor, Tim Hipperson, RMG was folded into JWT.
Harman said: “Mail is a great medium, which has simply not been promoted enough. We need to change perceptions and ensure clients know how vital advertising mail can be to their marketing plans. Mail is a proven and powerful tool for advertisers wanting to build customer relationships and I look forward to making this case strongly.”
He starts on October 1.
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