Andrea (Riley) Brimmer, Chief Marketing & Public Relations Officer, Ally Financial at FCS CMO Luncheon Series

Andrea Riley was named chief marketing and public relations officer of Ally Financial in 2015. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the company’s marketing, advertising, public relations, market research initiatives, social media and brand management. Andrea joined Ally at the height of the financial crisis when the company faced intense challenges— transitioning from its roots as a captive auto finance company, while also launching the first-ever online-only deposits franchise, Ally Bank. Andrea was charged with standing-up the Ally brand; developing everything from the brand pillars and cultural framework, to creating the value proposition and delivery in the marketplace. Under Andrea’s direction, Ally emerged with a strong reputation as a “different” kind of financial services company, relentlessly focused on solving pain points that traditional institutions set forth. Since 2009, Ally has grown and diversified, and today is a top 25 digital financial services company, with not only auto and banking products, but corporate finance, online brokerage and wealth management, home mortgage, credit card and insurance products. Despite its growth, the brand has remained centered around customers and contributing to their financial well-being. In September 2016, Andrea launched the first-ever unified brand campaign in Ally's history, called “Do It Right”, highlighting the brand’s unique focus on doing things right for customers. The campaign not only aligned the full scope of Ally’s financial services offerings under one mantra, it also reflected the company’s culture and core values internally. “Do It Right” has become a point of pride for Ally, resulting in the highest consumer brand sentiment and awareness in Ally’s history. Prior to joining Ally in 2006, Riley spent 20 years on the agency side in Detroit, where she led the Chevrolet account and launched the iconic American Revolution campaign, as well as numerous product offerings. Riley was named an Automotive News 2016 ALL STAR of MARKETING for her forward-thinking approach and creative knack with the successful launch of Ally’s brand campaign earlier in the year. In 2015, she was named to the 100 Leading Women list also issued by Automotive News, which recognizes leaders in the automotive field.  In 2014 and 2015, she was named to the Forbes list of 50 Most Influential CMOs. Riley holds a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University.