Proximity London Hires Nick Baker as New Planning Director

Proximity London is delighted to announce Nick Baker as new Planning Director to work on the Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland business. He will join the agency at the beginning of January 2015. 

Nick Baker will be joining from VCCP Me, where he’s been Head of Communications Planning. During his time there, he has led strategic thinking across accounts including MORE TH>N and Channel 4 (where he’s been helping them develop a smart, personal CRM strategy to grow stronger, direct relationships between customer and brand) and played a key role in winning the Kia Motors business. 

Prior to VCCP Me, Nick spent four years in Senior Planning roles at Sapient Nitro and worked on the flagship Sky account, developing effective new approaches to acquisition, member get member and retention in a challenging market environment. 

Nick’s highly successful 12 year career has also seen a brief spell client-side at Betfair, where he was an offline marketing manager reporting directly to the Managing Director. By optimising the customer journey he significantly reduced cost per acquisition.

At Proximity, Nick will be developing new strategies for the recently rebranded banking group and will report to Joint Head of Planning, Darren Burnett who also works across the Lloyds accounts. 

Burnett said “Nick is an award-winning planner and incisive thinker with exactly the approach we’re looking for. I’m confident he’ll be playing a key role as we work with Lloyds Banking Group to bring their incredible portfolio of brands to life for their customers in every interaction. We were immediately struck by Nick's enthusiasm for transforming customer data and insight into striking, behaviour changing propositions. Proximity gives him the platform to develop his natural talent to the full.”

Baker said “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Proximity. The agency has enjoyed incredible success over the last two years and I’m excited about contributing to its continued growth in the future. There is a huge opportunity to place one-on-one communications at the heart of Lloyds marketing strategy, so I look forward to what is no doubt going to be a year of transformation in 2015”.