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Former Suncorp marketer, Kristi Woolrych, takes KFC South Pacific role

Kristi Woolrych has taken the role of chief marketing director for KFC across the South Pacific region, Mumbrella understands.

Woolrych stepped down from Suncorp in May after 16 years with the insurer to be replaced by former M&C Saatchi GM, Mim Haysom.

Woolrych joins KFC after 16 years with Suncorp

While at Suncorp, Woolrych was responsible for the Money With Sunny campaign featuring a young girl mimicking Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ Thrift Shop music video, and was also involved in the launch of the insurer’s digital logbook app.

The appointment of Woolrych has seen acting CMO, Angela Richards, promoted to group marketing director.

KFC’s acting Australian CMO, Annabel Fribence, meanwhile has been promoted to lead KFC’s Asia marketing efforts in Singapore. Fribence joined Yum in 2013 from Pernod Ricard having previously worked with McDonald’s and Fosters.

In March, Fribence told Mumbrella’s Retail Marketing Summit the company had halved its TV budget in recent years.

“We have halved our TV budget, TV is still a very cost effective way to get reach and it’s a beautiful channel to drive emotion, but we all know it is getting more expensive and it’s getting harder and harder,” she said at the time.

Fribance also slammed Nine’s reality cooking show, Family Food Fight, calling it a “total disaster” and saying the fast food brand didn’t get the reach it was hoping for by aligning with the program.

Shortly afterwards KFC launched a campaign celebrating the fast food chain’s 50 years in Australia, which promptly drew complaints about a child using the word ‘bucket’. The commercial was later cleared by the Ad Standards board.

In statement, KFC told Mumbrella: “We are delighted to welcome Kristi Woolrych to the KFC Australia team as the Chief Marketing Officer, KFC SOPAC. Kristi commenced with KFC on the 3rd September, and in this role she will be responsible for all KFC marketing activities across Australia and New Zealand.

“Angela Richards has been acting Chief Marketing Officer for KFC SOPAC since October 2017. Angela remains with the KFC business and has recently been promoted to group marketing director following Kristi’s appointment.”

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