Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) announced the appointment of Brad Audet as Chief Marketing Officer, effective September 15, 2020. Headquartered at the company’s headquarters in Irvine, California, Audet will report to Jim Lievois, Executive Vice President.
In this new role, Audet will lead an agile and responsive marketing organization that enhances the value of the Mazda brand and fosters a personal and meaningful connection between Mazda and its customers, the Company said in a press release.
“As part of the United States leadership team, you will leverage the expertise of the entire organization to deliver products and campaigns that propel the company into the next 100 years. It will also partner with Mazda’s exceptional dealer network to create an engaging customer experience that is distinctive to Mazda,” the Company added.
“Brad has been leading the marketing team as interim Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) since March and has successfully guided our marketing operations through this period of unprecedented uncertainty and volatility,” said MNAO President Jeff Guyton. “Looking forward, I am confident that Brad will continue this journey, leading a tightly integrated marketing division that adapts quickly and intelligently to the ever-changing consumer landscape.”
“Brad took on the interim role at a challenging time for our industry as we were all trying to figure out how to navigate Covid-19,” said NDAC President Jim McDonald. “He has listened to the needs of dealers and has brought a new perspective to Mazda’s marketing approach. We are delighted to partner with him in his new role.”
Audet joins MNAO with more than 29 years of considerable marketing experience. Prior to this role, Audet served for seven years as Executive Vice President of Garage Team Mazda (GTM), WPP’s personalized and integrated marketing agency for Mazda. Audet led the marketing transformation for GTM and served as strategic advisor to Mazda’s executive team.
Prior to GTM, Audet was Executive Vice President of Team Detroit, a WPP company, serving clients such as White Castle, Bosch, United Way, Dollar General, and Sports Authority, among others. Audet has also worked at some of the most respected agencies in the industry, including J. Walter Thompson Worldwide, Mullen, Arc Worldwide, McCann, and BBDO.
“Mazda is a brand on the move, and I am excited about what the future holds for our employees, customers, partners and dealers,” said Audet. “In the coming months, I look forward to working with the Mazda team and our WPP agency partners to continue to consolidate our growth and momentum.”
Mazda North American Operations is based in Irvine, California, and oversees sales, marketing, parts, and customer service for Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through approximately 620 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de México in Mexico City.
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