PHAR hires Alastair MacDonald to set up new research & strategy division

PHAR Partnerships signalled an important move into new areas of business with today’s announcement that it has recruited Alastair Macdonald to build a new division offering research, evaluation and strategy consultancy services. The new division will offer high-quality research and analysis into sponsorship value and effect, and expert advice on how sponsorship programmes may be structured to achieve their potential. These services will be of value to both brands and rights holders, covering all forms of sponsorship from traditional sports properties to fast-growing areas such as infrastructure, leisure and tourism.

Alastair Macdonald joins from Havas Sports & Entertainment, the international sponsorship network, where he was Head of Havas Sponsorship Insights. With 14 years’ experience in sponsorship analysis and consultancy, Alastair is recognised as one of the industry’s leading experts in this area, having worked for clients including The Premier League, The Football Association, The Ryder Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, Mercedes Grand Prix, Chelsea FC, Manchester City FC, Lawn Tennis Association, O2, Lucozade, Nokia and Zurich, to name just a few.

“The opportunity to create a new business division within PHAR Partnerships was too tempting to turn down,” commented Macdonald. “In two years, PHAR Partnerships has already grown into a significant international player with a great track record of putting together successful and truly innovative partnerships. Taking responsibility for the next phase of the company’s development by taking it into new analytical and strategic services is a hugely exciting challenge.”

Marcus Wight, CEO of PHAR Partnerships, added “We know how increasingly important it is to both brands and rights holders to have credible evidence for what sponsorship delivers for the business, and true expertise to help guide them through the sponsorship maze. Alastair is one of the industry’s true experts, respected across the industry for the quality of his analysis, thinking and advice, and it’s a real coup for PHAR Partnerships to have secured him. With this appointment PHAR Partnerships takes a substantial leap forward towards becoming a true all-round sponsorship consultancy.”