Vertu Motors has appointed Liz Cope as chief marketing officer following the promotion of Steve Ferry into the role of group sales director.

A statement from Vertu said that the move “reflects the growing scale of the group which now employs over 5,000 colleagues and operates 126 outlets”. 

Cope (pictured) has previously held marketing roles for a number household names including Dyson and Vax and brings a wealth of knowledge to the role, particularly of customer centric brand and digital marketing.

She will oversee all the group’s marketing functions including PR, digital and off-line advertising, brand development and CRM including the operation of contact centres and web live chat.

Robert Forrester, chief executive of Vertu Motors, said:  “Marketing functions are critical to any retail business. 

“This new role will bring the customer’s view to the heart of the boardroom and Liz is an excellent appointment, with the depth of knowledge and skills to work within an expanding and increasingly diversified group.

“Liz’s appointment, together with the recent arrival of Tim Tozer as group operations director, further strengthens and enhances the skill set of our senior management team.”

Cope said: "The synergy of the leadership team and the strength and breadth of the range of manufacturers is a testament to the forward-thinking strategy.

"Vertu is well placed for its next decade of growth; as an early adopter of a customer centric strategy it understands the power of ‘shining a torch’ on the stresses that customers have when purchasing new and used cars, and is well on the way to delivering a truly distinctive customer centric experience, where mutual respect is everything."