Virgin Media O2 – the newly merged broadband, telecoms and mobile giant – has promoted O2’s brand and marcoms chief, Simon Groves, to director of brand and marketing role, following the exit of both O2 head Nina Bibby and her Virgin Media counterpart Cilesta Van Doorn.
Groves started his career at PwC in 1997, before joining O2 in 2000 as corporate strategy and development manager, ultimately becoming director of brand, marketing and customer experience strategy in 2006.
in 2012, he switched to Tesco Mobile as chief marketing officer, where he stayed for six years before returning to O2 as commercial marketing director, consumer and SMB. In December 2019 he was promoted to director of brand and marcoms.
In his new role, Groves will report to chief operating officer Jeff Dodds and lead the company’s brand and marketing activities, including creative and campaigns, customer marketing, media, sponsorship and brand strategy.
Groves said: “Virgin Media O2 is the product of two iconic brands coming together and we launched with a clear mission to upgrade the UK. I’m thrilled to be working with Jeff and the team to bring the benefits of the new combined business to life for our customers, while continuing our drumbeat of campaigns and initiatives for Virgin Media and O2 respectively.”
The merger of O2 and Virgin Media brings together O2’s 34 million mobile network customers with Virgin’s 5.3 million broadband, pay-TV and mobile users.
Virgin Media O2 claims that it would be launching joint services in the near future although, like BT and EE before it, most commentators believe both brands will remain.
However, that does not mean the company will not review its advertising, marketing and communications activity.
Virgin Media’s CRM account has been handled by Rapp for over a decade, while Adam & Eve DDB scooped the ad business from BBH in 2019 and OMD UK retained the media brief.
The O2 CRM brief, held by M&C Saatchi, was up for review last year but it was postponed due to Covid. VCCP has run O2’s advertising since 2002. Havas handles media, alongside an in-house division called Team O2.
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