Bradshaw will assume both marketing and customer experience roles
The convergence between marketing and sales is continuing, with Volkswagen’s general manager of marketing, Ben Wilks, moving into the general manager of sales, passenger vehicles, role in a company reshuffle.
Wilks has been with the company since 2009 in various roles and was general manager of marketing for nearly five years.
Wilks told CMO the move is a valuable one for any marketer.
“Having worked across brands within the Volkswagen Group in senior marketing and other business development roles, I’m really pleased to move into the head of sales role,” Wilks told CMO.
“I’m passionate about the automotive industry; key to that are the inspiring entrepreneurs that run our retail outlets for Volkswagen. I’m looking forward to working closely with them as we help connect more Australian’s with a brand that so many love.
“It’s been a time of enormous change for industry and no-one expects that pace to slow down. Strong product remains a cornerstone of success and Volkswagen’s ongoing success makes that clear.”
Jason Bradshaw will assume Wilks’ role as Volkswagen Group Australia’s director of customer experience and marketing.
"For the last three years Volkswagen Australia has accelerated its focus on customers, ensuring that they are at the heart of everything we do. With Mr Wilks assuming the role of general manager of sales (passenger vehicles) it provides the perfect opportunity to deepen the connection with our customers through our marketing efforts. I am excited by the opportunity to build on the great work of Mr Wilks," Bradshaw told CMO.
Wilks said Bradshaw has overhauled customer experience throughout VGA over the past three years. Among his innovations has been the introduction on Volkswagen’s public website of dealer ratings derived from customer surveys – something no other auto brand in Australia has emulated.
“Our customers retain the highest intended loyalty among all our competitors. That’s a combination of strong product, brand and an approach to evolving the customer experience right across our network,” Wilks said.
“Jason has driven that evolution of customer experience and his work has been a critical component of the success of the brand. He is the natural fit to take over responsibilities in marketing, given the close working relationship that already exists with the customer portfolio.”
Follow CMO on Twitter: @CMOAustralia, take part in the CMO conversation on LinkedIn: CMO ANZ, join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMOAustralia, or check us out on Google+:google.com/+CmoAu
In the third and final episode of our 3-part CMO50 video series exploring modern marketing and why it’s become a matter of trust, we’re delighted to be joined by Telstra’s former CMO and now digital services and sales executive, Jeremy Nicholas, and Adobe VP Marketing Asia-Pacific and Japan, Duncan Egan.
Flash back to the classic film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Television-obsessed Mike insists on becoming the first person to be ‘sent by Wonkavision’, dematerialising on one end, pixel by pixel, and materialising in another space. His cinematic dreams are realised thanks to rash decisions as he is shrunken down to fit the digital universe, followed by a trip to the taffy puller to return to normal size.
Why is it there is no shortage of leadership development materials, yet outstanding leadership is so rare? Despite having access to so many leadership principles, tools, systems and processes, why is it so hard to develop and improve as a leader?
As a nation united by sport, brands are beginning to learn money alone won’t talk without aligned values and action. If recent events with major leagues and their players have shown us anything, it’s the next generation of athletes are standing by what they believe in – and they won’t let their values be superseded by money.
