James Queen, who departed from his role as group head of marketing at Thomas Cook last month, has joined Buzz Bingo as their new CCO (Chief Commercial Officer)
Queen decided to depart from Thomas Cook after five years at the end of April. He held a number of senior marketing and e-commerce positions at the travel company, in the UK and also at group level.
The newly created role of CCO, reporting to Chief Executive Chris Matthews, will see James lead Buzz Bingo's brand marketing as well as taking responsibility for the food, drink and gaming operations.
Matthews said:
“Jamie impressed us with his passion for understanding what drives customer behaviour, his interest in disruptive innovation and his ability to harness the latest technology. He has an excellent track-record in managing businesses across digital and retail platforms.”
“At a time when Buzz is going through rapid change and exciting development, we are extremely positive about what Jamie will bring to both the executive management team and the organisation as a whole.”
Buzz Bingo Evolving
Buzz Bingo spent approximately £40m rebranding itself from Gala Leisure in September 2018. The company has a network of 119 bingo clubs nationwide and specialises in offering a range of leisure activities including gaming machines and food and beverage, with bingo being their core activity. The rebrand was designed to increase the appeal of Bingo to millennials. The appointment of Queen is in line with Buzz Bingo's strategy to broaden the brands appeal and its revenue outlets. Queen said of his appointment:
“Buzz Bingo is a great brand with an interesting story to tell. With its strong credentials in offering first-rate entertainment across the UK, it’s very well-positioned to capitalise on the growing trend for consumers to seek out interesting and authentic experiences. At the same time, with its new digital platform showing strong growth, I’m excited about how the omni-channel brand evolves.”
The Queen appointment follows news leaked recently that Buzz Bingo is reviewing its advertising account. The bingo operator invited a number of different advertising agencies to attend chemistry meetings. Incumbent Isobel is reported to be considering whether to participate in the review process.
Ben has been an massive bingo enthusiast and fan since playing at the seaside as a kid. Dedicated to bringing you the latest and best bingo news from the UK