E-commerce and interactive marketing services provider GSI Commerce has appointed Simone Barratt president of email and multichannel marketing service provider e-Dialog, the company said on Oct. 11. The hire took effect on Oct. 10, Barratt said.
Barratt replaces Joe Gagnon who was named e-Dialog president in April after president and CEO John Rizzi resigned. Gagnon had been charged with expanding e-Dialog.
“Joe laid the foundation, and I get to come in and do the French polishing,” said Barratt.
Her immediate focus, Barratt said, is working with retail clients to maximize their marketing during the fourth quarter. She also plans to expand beyond e-Dialog’s customer retention capabilities into customer acquisition offerings.
“That’s where the French polishing comes in. It’s gearing ourselves up not only for maximizing the email channel and the one-to-one digital channels, but also broadening that mix of services and products in the future,” said Barratt.
E-Dialog expects to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific, said Barratt. The company maintains an office in Singapore but is looking at China, Australia and Japan as further growth opportunities. Asked whether the expansion will occur organically or via acquisition, Barratt said “a bit of both.”
“Now we have a parent with large pockets, even larger pockets than the last parent. Obviously everything has to stack up from a business rationale, but I think we’re open to both [growing organically and via acquisition],” she said. EBay closed its acquisition of GSI Commerce in June after agreeing to purchase the company in March.
Barratt reports to John Healy, CEO of GSI’s Global Marketing Services Products division.
Three e-Dialog regional managers report directly to Barratt, she said. Those managers include former e-Dialog chief technology officer Christian Wright, who has been named general manager of e-Dialog Americas; Luke Griffiths, VP of European client services at e-Dialog, who has been appointed general manager of e-Dialog U.K.; and Darren Fifield, managing director of e-Dialog Asia-Pacific.
GSI Commerce promoted Barratt in May to president of GSI Global Marketing Services International. Prior to the promotion, she served as managing director of e-Dialog International.
