hipages group recruit new CMO and adds chief customer role

Online home improvement directory, hipages Group, has brought on a new chief marketing officer (CMO) and created a chief customer office role as part of plans to lift its brand presence and might in Australia.

New marketing chief Fraser Taylor has been in marketing for more than 20 years in the FMCG sector and was most recently A/NZ marketing director for Kellogg’s and Sara Lee. He has worked across Australia, the UK and Canada for a range of brands and blue chip companies.

Taylor replaces Stephen Keighery, who assumes the newly created role of chief customer officer. In a statement, the company said Keighery will focus on understanding the needs of hipages’ tradie network and ensuring it has the right mix of specialists on-board.

Hipages Group co-founder and CEO,David Vitek, said Taylor joins the company at a pivotal time in its growth and will play a central role in its development strategy. The online-based business, which was founded in 2004, aims to connect consumers with registered and quality tradesmen across 1100 categories, and claims to place 40,000 jobs each month.

Earlier this month, the company secured $6 million in equity funding which was earmarked for team investment. At the time, Vitek said the company was looking to grow its technology team as well as improve brand awareness.

“Fraser is analytical, creative and brings with him solid processes for understanding consumers and how they tick,” Vitek said in a statement. “His core expertise will greatly complement the hipages Group model.”

Taylor pointed out hipages Group is operating in a $90 billion home improvement market that is highly fragmented and offers great opportunity for growth.

“Hipages.com.au is already a great online business but I look forward to making it a great consumer brand – and helping the business grow significantly,” he said.

According to its website, hipages now has 1.5 million monthly online visitors a staff of 90.

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