US data group MeritDirect is targeting the UK market with the launch of an international division operated out of London, spearheaded by former Mardev-dm2 chief Karie Burt.
Burt, who has taken up the role of vice-president of data and media services, will run both the London and New York operations of the business. The London office opened last week at 3 More London, Riverside.
She began her direct marketing career in London in 1989 as a group sales manager for Robert Maxwell’s publishing empire, Maxwell Business Communications, staying for four years. When Maxwell died in 1991, it became Wilmington Publishing.
In 1994, she joined Emap, spending nearly four years as group sales director of its data division. In 1997, she was recruited to run Mardev’s US office out of New York. She then took responsibility for Mardev’s Asian operations and more recently with the merger of Mardev and DM2 to form Mardev-dm2.
Following the departure of Zina Manda in July last year, Burt took over as head of global operations, as well as Chicago and London divisions until the business was closed in December last year.
Burt will report directly to MeritDirect chief executive Rob Sanchez, who has been at the business since launch and took over from the founders Mark Joyce and Ralph Drybrough in September last year.
Her first initiative will be launching OmniChannelBase International, which will provide a multichannel database to global marketers.
Two former Mardev-dm2 US staff, Courtney Cope and Azalia Allen, also move across with Burt.
Sanchez said: “Karie is the perfect fit for the direction we are taking MeritDirect and we are excited that she has joined us to lead our global expansion. She is highly respected in the marketing community worldwide and we look forward to the knowledge and experience her and her team will bring to our company.”
Burt added: “I look forward to help further Merit’s continued strategic growth by launching the international division to capitalise on global markets.”
Founded in 2000, Merit specialises in both business and consumer data, and offers list management, list brokerage, interactive services, circulation management, and data and media services.
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