The cinch online car retail platform has appointed Robert Bridge as its new chief customer officer – bringing leadership experience from Yahoo, The Telegraph and Childs Farm.

Avril Palmer-Baunack, chairman of the cinch owning Constellation Automotive Group (formerly BCA Marketplace), said that the rival to the likes of Cazoo and carzam had made the appointment as part of its bid to further its “rapid growth” and “extend the reach of the cinch brand across the UK”.

Bridge brings over 20 years of digital experience and will be focused on cinch’s marketing and customer experience activities in his new role.

At Yahoo, Bridge was vice-president of international marketing and editorial, where he had responsibility for all marketing and content in more than 20 countries.

At The Telegraph, he was chief customer officer, with a remit that encompassed marketing, brand management, subscriptions, design and UX, data and insight, and customer experience initiatives.

Most recently Bridge was CEO of Childs Farm, the UK’s leading children’s toiletries brand, however, where he led them on a digital and ecommerce transformation.

Commenting on his move to cinch, he said: “I’m extremely excited to join such a dynamic, technology-led, consumer-centric business.

“At a time when people are evermore online, cinch’s ability to deliver world class digital experiences and enable quality used cars to be bought online and delivered to your door, faff free, is ground-breaking.” 

Last week cinch went head-to-head in a battle to secure marketing supremacy with rival cazoo, launching a Premier League football club marketing battle with a deal to become Tottenham Hotspur’s first shirt sleeve sponsor.

Cazoo secured title sponsorship deals with Everton FC and Aston Villa in the second half of 2020, later securing sponsorship of cricket’s The Hundred tournament and the Rugby League World Cup 2021.

The cinch business is also looking to leverage its profile with a cross-platform advertising campaign with TV presenter Rylan Clark-Neal, alongside sponsorship of Northampton Saints rugby team and the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) Queen’s Club Championships.

The cinch business’ retail director, Jason Cranswick, speaks exclusively to AM in a ‘5 Minutes with…’ feature in the latest edition of AM magazine.