XM Creates Dedicated Auto Marketing Group

XM Satellite Radio wants to help its receiver and car partners sell a lot more automotive radios.
The company said it has realigned its marketing operations and created a dedicated automotive marketing group. XM says 2006 is a staging year for volume growth in 2007-08, with annual factory-installations of its radios expected to double in the next two years.
XM veteran Steve Cook becomes executive vice president, automotive, a new position. Cook had been EVP of sales and marketing.
Cook will focus on XM’s automotive strategic partnerships, which include General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Nissan; those companies account for approximately 60 percent of the U.S. automotive market, according to XM.
My-Chau Nguyen, formerly of Sprint Nextel Communications, will join XM as senior vice president, marketing, planning and research in September. Sean Connolly, formerly of Intel Corp., is named VP of brand management and media and will join in August. Both will report to a chief marketing officer, to be appointed; meantime they’ll answer to CEO Hugh Panero.