Thursday, January 21, 2010

7463: Coda Hires Michael Jackson (No, Not Jacko).


From Advertising Age…

Electric Carmaker Coda Taps Former GM Marketer Jackson
Will Handle Global Sales and Distribution

By Kunur Patel

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) – All-electric car company Coda Automotive has hired General Motors veteran Michael A. Jackson to build a sales model for the electric sedan expected to hit U.S. roads later this year.

Mr. Jackson, who was onetime GM marketing chief, will serve as senior VP-global sales and distribution for the Santa Monica, Calif.-based electric car and battery manufacturer. In August, Coda named Kerri Martin, who had been a marketing executive at BMW’s Mini and Volkswagen, as its first chief marketing officer.

Since leaving GM, Mr. Jackson has served as partner at New York interactive agency Sarkissian Mason and CEO of Speedshape, a computer-generated imagery agency.

Kevin Czinger, president-CEO, Coda Automotive, in a statement said the company was looking for an executive with the “right mix of business acumen, innovative thinking and willingness to take a fresh look at the automotive sales model.”

As GM’s marketing czar from 2006 to 2007, Mr. Jackson was responsible for canning Leo Burnett, Cadillac’s longtime agency, and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco on Saturn.

Mr. Jackson joined GM in 2000 as executive director-sales and marketing support in Detroit. He later moved to California in 2002 to head the automaker’s western region. He has also held sales and marketing positions at Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Coors Brewing.

A Coda spokeswoman said Mr. Jackson is not yet authorized to speak on behalf of the company. He officially starts next week.

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