Lighthouse Communications, the London-based sponsorship agency announced today that Matthew Wheeler, former worldwide Managing Director of the Octagon Group, has become the company’s Chairman.

Wheeler, 40, invests in the group and will become a shareholder although Lighthouse’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jim Glover, remains the largest equity holder while Charlie Beauchamp now becomes Managing Director.

Lighthouse Communications is a specialist sports sponsorship agency which was founded in 1997 and in 2002 set up an Australian office in Sydney to manage Heineken’s Rugby World Cup sponsorship. The agency has to date worked in the fields of football, rugby, golf, athletics, rowing, cycling, triathlon and tennis and its clients include Heineken, Lucozade Sport, Marsh & McLennan Companies, Ribena and BP Castrol.

Jim Glover commented ‘I am absolutely delighted that Matthew has decided to join Lighthouse as our Chairman. His experience across all areas of our industry sector is second to none and he will have a major influence on the future developments of Lighthouse.’

Wheeler, who left Octagon at the end of 2001, said: ‘I have known Jim, Charlie and the management at Lighthouse for a number of years and they have an excellent and deservedly strong reputation in the market place. I am very pleased that they have asked me to help them develop their business further in the coming years.’

The position of Chairman will not be full time and Wheeler added: ‘Over the past months I have been working on a number of projects with the backing of various City financial institutions. I will continue to develop those but having left Octagon a year ago I am free of all restrictions and the chance to work with Lighthouse on a personal level was one I did not want to pass up.’

For further information please contact:

Lighthouse Communications:
Jim Glover
T: + 44 20 8812 3400
M: + 44 7785 227 214
E: Jim.glover@lighthouse-world.com