Durrant takes up PR at PO Counters

Post Office Counters, the UK’s largest retailer, has ended its six

month search for a director of communications by appointing an internal

recruit.

Rob Durrant, a Post Office employee for 26 years, takes over from

Phillipa Dennell, who quit last year to join the BBC as head of internal

communications.

Durrant filled her post on a temporary basis for two months in the

autumn.

Reporting to managing director Stuart Sweetman, he will have a seat on

Post Office Counter’s executive committee and take charge of corporate

communications on a national level.

As well as PR, Durrant will exercise advertising and brand marketing

functions and head internal communications for Post Office Counters’

16,000 employees. He will also work with the heads of communications in

its 12 business units

Durrant was previously head of quality at Post Office Counters with a

specific brief to develop its customer focus.

’The biggest issue is to develop a new communications strategy for the

the business,’ said Durrant. ’It’s very much a question of seeing how

communications help with the overall business development of Post Office

Counters.’

Post Office Counters has 19,500 outlets. Last year it began offering

insurance products and hopes to expand further in the financial services

sector in collaboration with high street banks.