Visit London hires Bidwell for chief executive role

by Gemma Charles, Marketing 13-Apr-05, 09:37

Visit London has poached senior Selfridges marketer James Bidwell to fill its vacant chief executive position.

He replaces David Campbell, who left the tourism body last month to become the chief executive of the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which manages Manchester's G-Mex Arena.

Bidwell was marketing director at Selfridges before being promoted to strategic projects director for its parent company, Wittington Fashion Retail Group, last September.

He is seeking to establish tie-ups with major brands to promote London, such as the strategic partnership it currently has with HSBC, and will also be involved in the marketing of the body, which he said would be 'absolutely critical to the business'.

Bidwell added that one of the challenges facing the organisation was to show the diversity of London as well as its heritage, which was a task he faced at Selfridges.

Visit London is in the middle of establishing a roster of agencies to work on its £10m advertising account, with a final decision expected next month. It previously worked with Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, but parted company with the agency last year.

Before joining Selfridges in 2001, Bidwell also held senior marketing positions at eToys Europe and Walt Disney Attractions.