Manulife Financial has appointed Gretchen Garrigues as executive vice president and global chief marketing officer.
Garrigues will be responsible for Manulife's global marketing and communications, focusing on global branding as well as ensuring that marketing strategies and the customer experience support global business growth.
In this role, Garrigues serves as a member of Manulife's executive committee, head of the global marketing leadership team, and reports to Paul Rooney, senior executive vice president and chief operating officer.
"We have embarked on a strategy that is far more customer-focused, which requires a senior leader who can build marketing capabilities in the organisation and drive the development of a customer-centric culture across all functions," says Rooney. "Gretchen's deep understanding of marketing, particularly in the areas of brand development, digital and analytics, coupled with her strong financial acumen, make her a great fit to drive Manulife's customer-centric strategy."
Garrigues joins Manulife following her recent role as First Data's global chief marketing officer where she led marketing efforts to deliver on First Data's 2015 IPO as well as being responsible for strengthening its brand, growing demand for its products and supporting its sales organisation with digital tools to drive revenue.
Garrigues has an extensive financial services background and leadership skills developed over a long career with GE Capital. Joining GE Capital in 1997 in the firm's Paris office, Garrigues' tenure at GE spanned 16 years during which she held marketing leadership positions of increasing responsibility across a wide array of financial products and services, ranging from consumer finance, credit cards and private equity to equipment financing, commercial leasing and structured corporate lending.
Prior to joining GE Capital, Garrigues served as a foreign trade officer for the US & Foreign Commercial Service based in Paris. Fluent in English and French, Garrigues' appointment is effective immediately.
