Celebrity Cruises appointed senior marketer Steven Hancock to lead intensified marketing efforts for the premium brand. In his new role, Hancock will assume broad-reaching responsibilities for consolidating Celebrity's brand messaging and widening
its customer base. He takes over as senior vice president of Marketing on
Aug. 15.
Hancock has a unique background and specialty qualifying him for his new
job. He has spent the last two decades at financial services leader
Citigroup, where he has rotated among fast-moving, start-up business
groups, with the sole focus of accelerating growth. His work has been
praised by Forbes, Money, and Worth magazines.
Most recently, Hancock was chief marketing officer for Citibank Online, a
job that involved developing and launching the bank's online customer
financial services, creating all aspects of the customer's online
experience, and managing sales and acquisition.
Jack Williams, president and chief operating officer of Celebrity Cruises
and
Royal Caribbean International, believes Hancock and Celebrity will be
an excellent fit.
"We are delighted to have a marketing professional of Steve's stature and
expertise join Celebrity," he said. "Steve has a unique set of marketing
skills. In particular, his experience with one-to-one targeted
relationship marketing is just what Celebrity needs to differentiate the
premium status of the brand."
Hancock added, " I am pleased and excited about joining the Celebrity
organization. From my perspective, Celebrity is very special, especially
in terms of its value and commitment to providing the best customer
experience in the industry."
Ares Michaelides, a long-time Celebrity finance executive who has held the
position since April 2001, will transfer from the Marketing Department to
two corporate start-up ventures,
Island Cruises and RCL (UK). Michaelides
will report directly to Williams in his new role.
"Ares has done an excellent job in refocusing Celebrity's marketing
efforts," Williams said. "I can't say enough about the fine job he has done
in laying the groundwork on which we can now build a stronger, more
meaningful brand in the marketplace. We now need his skills in other
critical areas."