Otto UK secures Preedy for top marketing role

by Kim Benjamin, Marketing Direct 05-May-06

Tony Preedy, former brand director at home shopping giant Shop Direct Group, which owns brands such as Littlewoods and Great Universal, has taken the role of director of marketing services and e-commerce at multichannel retailer Otto UK.

Preedy, who left Shop Direct Group earlier this year after 14 years,
said his new role presented an attractive challenge. Otto UK is
revamping its offering, enabling Preedy to focus on both the internet

and catalogue sides of the business.

Otto UK owns brands such as Freemans, Grattan and Kaleidoscope. Its
parent company, German-owned Otto Group, is Europe's largest mail-order
business and claims to be the world's second-largest online seller in
the B2C market after Amazon.

"I've spent a lot of time at Littlewoods Shop Direct and the role at
Otto UK interested me because of the turnaround opportunity it
presents," said Preedy. "Otto UK has a lot of potential, particularly in
the e-commerce market. Redcats' strategy with La Redoute has
demonstrated that a European concept can be successfully brought into
the UK."

He will also seek to ensure Otto UK benefits as much as possible from
Royal Mail's Pricing in Proportion measures to be introduced later this
year.

Three former Littlewoods employees will be joining Preedy at Otto
UK.

Andy Roe, who ran Littlewoods' call centre operations, has been named
chief operating officer, while Diane Fowler and Alex Hardy, former brand
directors at Littlewoods, take up the same positions at Grattan and
Kaleidoscope respectively.

Otto UK has also appointed former Additions Direct brand director Neil
Sansom to head its trend-driven offering for 25- to 40-year- olds.

Littlewoods is number one in the UK mail-order market, with JD Williams
second, followed by Next and Otto UK.