Infront Fosters Further Organic Growth with the Opening of a New Pan-Asia Subsidiary in Singapore

SINGAPORE and ZUG, Switzerland, July 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

- The group takes its comprehensive sales, marketing and client services to the region, whilst also offering a gateway to its broad sports portfolio

Infront Sports & Media, the leading international sports marketing company, has opened a new office in Singapore. The wholly-owned subsidiary under the name Infront Pan-Asia became fully operational as of 1 July 2013. Headed by Ian Mathie as Managing Director, it will provide a centralised hub to exploit the potential of sports marketing in the leading Asian economies outside mainland China - including Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. The Infront Group's Chinese business will continue to be managed from Beijing - with Infront China and Infront Pan-Asia working in close collaboration, supported by Infront headquarters and other subsidiaries.

As a gateway to the Infront Group's broad sports portfolio, the subsidiary will provide broadcasters and other media companies in the region with access to first class rights opportunities in properties that range from German and Italian top-tier football to international winter sports and the global endurance segment.

This will be accompanied by a variety of sponsorship opportunities covering major football, summer sports and winter sports properties that will enable Asian companies to exploit popular European and global sports platforms for brand communications. As a second strategic pillar, Infront Pan-Asia will provide sports rights holders in the region with a full range of services - offering an extensive media distribution network, widespread marketing expertise, media production capabilities, event management, hospitality solutions and venue advertising.

Expanding the Infront footprint

Philippe Blatter, President & CEO of Infront Sports & Media, said: "The inauguration of Infront Pan-Asia takes our growth strategy forward and extends the group's global footprint. The new office will serve as a central hub and provide a well-connected regional base, from which we can exploit attractive opportunities for our clients in the growing Asian economies. As the global media landscape develops, the demand for top-level sports content is on the rise across Asia both from a broadcasting and sponsorship perspective. With our high-quality delivery and innovative spirit, we will support companies and sports rights holders in taking full advantage of these growth potentials."

Ian Mathie, the Managing Director of Infront Pan-Asia, is a highly established sports marketer with significant management expertise gained through more than 18 years of experience in the industry. In his previous position as Senior Vice President at World Sport Group, he was closely involved in the football business across the Asia-Pacific region as well as the commercialisation of further sports events in basketball, rugby, and cricket. His overall responsibilities stretched from rights holder relationship management to media rights distribution, implementation of marketing and licensing programmes as well as event operations - providing him with an in-depth understanding of the sports business across Asia and Oceania.

Ian Mathie commented: "It is an exciting opportunity to lead the development of this new Infront subsidiary - building upon the strong reputation the group has already established in the region in the last ten years. Infront's global expertise and trusted client relationships, combined with an understanding of the local market and respective networks will build value and maximise the impact for our partners - in Asia and beyond. Operating from the Singapore region, which will gain additional boost through the new Singapore Sports Hub project within the next year, we are well set to leverage great potentials in the Asian sports market."

Infront Pan-Asia is the third office the group operates in Asia - with each holding its own specialist business focus. Infront China in Beijing focuses on sports platforms in the region's biggest economy, and currently represents the Chinese national basketball teams and the CBA Professional League. Infront also holds a joint venture with Dentsu - Football Media Services - which concentrates exclusively on FIFA related business and is also based in Singapore.

About Infront Sports & Media

Infront Sports & Media, based in Zug, Switzerland, is one of the leading international sports marketing groups in the world. Known for its high standards of delivery, the company covers all aspects of a successful sport event - including distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production and event operations. As a leading player in winter sport, football and summer sports, Infront enjoys long-lasting partnerships with 120 rights-holders and hundreds of sponsors and media companies. With an experienced and passionate team of 500 staff in 20 offices across 10 countries, the Group helps to annually deliver 3,300 event days of top class sport around the world.

For further information please contact:
Jörg Polzer / Nike Möhle
Corporate Communications
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723-17-18
[email protected]
http://www.infrontsports.com

SOURCE Infront Sports & Media AG