POSTED: Tuesday November 25th 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOA Appoints Chief Commercial Officer

Hugh Chambers will report directly to the recently announced CEO Andy Hunt

The British Olympic Association (BOA) today announces the appointment of Hugh Chambers as its Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) with effect from Tuesday November 25th 2008. This new role in the organisation brings together the three areas of Brand, Communications/Public Affairs and Business Partner development. Hugh will report directly to the recently announced CEO Andy Hunt.

Hugh Chambers has spent over 29 years at the forefront of marketing communications and sports sponsorship. Hugh worked for 15 years in leading marketing communications agencies Saatchi & Saatchi, Young & Rubicam and Hill & Knowlton; running global accounts such as Ford, P&G and Amex in over 30 countries, living in London, Paris and New York.

In 1995 he became a shareholder in Prodrive, the leading automotive engineering consultancy. Over a ten year period Hugh ran commercial and communications programmes for clients such as Subaru, Honda, Ford and British American Tobacco. During this time Prodrive won multiple Touring Car, Le Mans and World Rally titles, with drivers such as Colin McRae and Richard Burns. In 2002 Prodrive took over responsibility for the running of the BAR Honda F1 team where Hugh held the role of Commercial Director; this culminated with 2nd place in the 2004 FIA (Fédération Internationale de l\‘Automobile) F1 World Championship for Constructors. In 2005 Hugh sold his shareholding in Prodrive and has since then been working as a marketing consultant for a wide variety of clients in Europe and the USA.

Andy Hunt, CEO of the BOA, commented:
\“With Hugh taking on responsibility for the brand, communications and partner development at the BOA I know that we have someone with the very highest level of worldwide experience combining marketing and sport. I also expect Hugh to play an important part in the new executive management team at the BOA, and look forward to working closely with him on all aspects of the commercial performance of our organisation.”

Commenting on the appointment, Colin Moynihan, Chairman of the BOA said:
\“The BOA now has a world class commercial team with Andy Hunt as CEO and Hugh running the day to day operations in this arena – we have a very exciting future ahead of us.”

Hugh Chambers commented:
“I am delighted to be taking on responsibility for all commercial aspects of the British Olympic Association at this exciting time in its history. After Team GB’s great success in Beijing we now need to gear up to London 2012 as the host nation National Olympic Committee with all the increased responsibilities that this brings. Equally the phase after 2012 represents a tremendous range of possibilities with the BOA at the centre. We have a golden opportunity to lift the role and impact of the BOA onto a different level.”

Notes to Editors

Hugh Chambers’s biographical details:

Age:                      51

Family:                  Married to Elisabeth (fashion photographer Elisabeth Hoff), one son born 2008

Hugh was educated at Magdalen School in Northants and went on to read Geography at Plymouth Poly. Although coming from a sports family, with his father a renowned figure in motorsport, Hugh put sport on hold for a while and instead developed a strong career in the burgeoning UK advertising scene. Joining Saatchi & Saatchi months after their successful support for the Thatcher election campaign in 1979 there followed an exciting period, with the UK leading the world of advertising; this led to opportunities internationally and included stints in Paris and New York. Experience gained on global blue chip clients such as P&G, Gillette and J&J led to work with automotive firms including Ford, Mazda and Chrysler.

It was this experience that created an opportunity to join David Richards in his fast growing automotive consultancy Prodrive. Over a ten year period, Hugh was a key member of the management team that took the company from 80 people to over 1200 with offices stretching from Australia to California. The combination of outstanding technical engineering and powerful brand communications took Prodrive from one success to another, with Subaru as the centre piece. In less than eight years Subaru was turned from a dowdy farmers’ utility into one of the most sought after car brand for a global youth market. Hugh gradually took over responsibilities beyond marketing including running the victorious Ferrari 550 Le Mans programme.

In 2002 long standing partner BAT asked Prodrive to take over management of their disappointing BAR F1 programme. Over three seasons the team was transformed from backmarker to front runner, with Jenson Button challenging Ferrari and Schumacher throughout 2004 and BAR finishing second in the title race with 11 podiums. The result of this was a successful sale of the team by BAT to Honda, and as a disappointing but inevitable consequence, the early termination of the Prodrive contract. Hugh decided this was a good time to move on and sold his shareholding in 2005. Since then Hugh has developed a number of businesses and worked as a consultant to a variety of clients in sport and general industry both in Europe and the USA.

Hugh is passionate about sport and competes in triathlons, running events, and motor racing; he also holds a RYA skipper license, loves to water ski, scuba dive and snow ski downhill and cross country.

 

2005 TO DATE: BRAND & CULTURE: LONDON, UK

·         CEO - Co-founder

1995 TO 2005: PRODRIVE: BANBURY, UK

·         Co-Owner - Commercial Director

1993 TO 1995: HILL & KNOWLTON PR: NEW YORK, USA

·         EVP, Marketing Communications Practice Director for USA

1991 TO 1993: YOUNG & RUBICAM: ADVERTISING: LONDON, UK (Y&R ALSO FROM 1984 TO 1987)

·         European SVP, Global Account Director, European New Business Director

1988 TO 1991: AMAGANSETT: RETAILING: LONDON, UK

·         Founder and Managing Director

1984 to 1988: YOUNG & RUBICAM: ADVERTISING: LONDON, UK

·         European VP

1982 to 1984: SAATCHI & SAATCHI: ADVERTISING: PARIS, FRANCE

·         Group Account Director

1979 to 1982: SAATCHI & SAATCHI: ADVERTISING: LONDON,

·         UK Account Exec through Account Director

EDUCATION

1975 – 78: Bsc (Hons) degree Geography, specializing in Politics and Economics at Plymouth Polytechnic, UK

1968 – 1975: Senior school at Magdalen College School, Brackley, Oxon, UK.

 

 

The BOA’s objectives are:

1.   First and foremost, to support the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and their athletes to be as successful as they can be in Vancouver 2010 and London 2012. The BOA is sending nine British teams to Olympic accredited events over the next few years. The success of Team GB is at the heart of our operations.

2.   Second, to develop our position as a strong voice for Olympic sport in the United Kingdom, able to represent the interests of athletes and NGBs effectively, particularly with government, LOCOG, the Mayor’s Office and all leading stakeholders involved in hosting the London 2012 Olympic Games.

3.   Third, as custodian of the Olympic values, to ensure that these are promulgated throughout the United Kingdom, and that a strong legacy for Olympic sport is put in place for 2012 and beyond.

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Keywords · BOA · British Olympic Association · London 2012 · Hugh Chambers · Andy Hunt

Name: Miriam Wilkens
Organization: BOA British Olympic Association
Email:
Phone: +44 020 8871 2677 ext. 227
URL: http://www.olympics.org.uk/home2.aspx

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