Virgin One, the banking arm of Richard Branson’s financial services
company Virgin Direct, this week appointed Adrian Webb to head its
public relations team.
Webb is currently head of PR for financial services provider the Direct
Line Group, where he oversees a team of nine. He will take up his new
position in February next year. He will report to Virgin One’s marketing
director Jo Barnett.
Webb will promote the company’s One account, managing a team of
five.
The One account is a personal bank account combining mortgages, savings,
credit cards, loans and current accounts into a single account. It
offers the same rate of interest for savings and borrowings.
Virgin One’s incumbent PR agency Consolidated Communications will report
to Webb. Virgin One has retained Consolidated to handle its corporate
trade and consumer PR since its launch in March 1995, and the agency
also works for Virgin Direct. Virgin Direct does not have a head of
PR.
Consolidated’s media director Will Holt said: ’Due to increasing media
and consumer interest in the Virgin One account, they felt they should
have a dedicated PR person. Adrian is very experienced in dealing with a
dynamic brand.’