London, UK, 7 February 2006.  Hill & Knowlton (H&K) has promoted Andy Sutherden to managing director, sports marketing & sponsorship with immediate effect.  This follows the departure of Giles Morgan who takes up the position of head of global sponsorship at H&K client HSBC next week.

Sutherden, a sponsorship and sports media relations specialist, joined H&K as a director in February 2003.  He currently directs Carling’s football strategy, Gillette’s sponsorship and endorsement portfolio and Robinson’s sponsorship of Wimbledon. More recently, he led the winning team that secured the Sport England account for H&K.

Marie Louise Windeler, H&K chief executive said, “Andy has been a driving force in our sports marketing and sponsorship team for the past three years.  He could not be a better successor for Giles and I know our 15-strong sports marketing & sponsorship team will continue to thrive under Andy’s leadership.”

She added, “It’s a real endorsement of professionalism when a member of the team moves to an important client.  I wish Giles every success on his move in-house.”

Prior to H&K, Sutherden was a board director at Golin Harris.  There he worked on Carling’s award winning association with Premiership football as well as on sponsorship and media strategies for brands such as Worthington, Lego and Lloyds TSB. 

Editors’ note:

Established in 1927, Hill & Knowlton, Inc. (http://www.hillandknowlton.com/) is a leading International public relations and public affairs firm headquartered in New York, with 73 offices in 39 countries as well as an extensive associate network. The agency is part of WPP Group, plc (NASDAQ: WPPGY) (http://www.wpp.com/), one of the world’s largest communications services groups. WPP Group provides services to local, multinational and global clients, including more than 300 of the Fortune Global 500.

For more information contact:

Sara Lipscombe
Director, Business Development & Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7973 5920
sara.lipscombe@hillandknowlton.com