Direct Line Group is on the lookout for a new interim CMO after Samuel Day announced he is leaving the business after a year in role.

Day currently leads Direct Line Group’s marketing strategy across personal and business brands, such as Direct Line, Churchill, Green Flag, Privilege and Darwin.

He is set to join German vehicle marketplace Mobile.de on 1 April as chief audience and growth officer, overseeing both B2B and B2C operations. His remit includes overseeing brand marketing, performance marketing, “dialogue marketing” and marketing technology. The firm’s former CMO Inga Wiese, who was appointed chief brand officer in mid-2024, will report into Day.

He was hired in January 2024 to “spearhead” Direct Line Group’s “data led marketing innovation and drive even greater customer centricity, to ensure a consistent and effective return on investment”.

Prior to joining Direct Line, Day spent six years as CMO at Confused.com and held various acquisition and marketing roles at RAC, HSBC and Microsoft.

We can confirm we are currently recruiting for an interim customer and marketing director,” said Direct Line Group in a statement shared with Marketing Week.

“As we transform our business, including expanding the availability of Direct Line branded motor products on price comparison websites, leveraging our enviable brands becomes ever more important.”

Days’ departure comes a month after Direct Line Group branched out into the price comparison market in December, in an effort to “move at pace” to meet changing consumer needs.

The decision to appear on price comparison sites was first announced at the firm’s Capital Markets Day in July 2024, when managing director of motor business Lucy Johnson said underperformance in customer acquisition had led to the group’s share of the motor insurance market declining.

At the time, she explained marketing spend would reduce as part of a “test and learn” approach and a ramp up of digital acquisition.

There is wider change afoot within the business, as in December Aviva announced it was buying Direct Line for £3.7bn, a move the insurer predicts will deliver “cost synergies” of £125m.

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Source: https://www.marketingweek.com/direct-line-group-recruiting-for-top-marketer/