The Football League has made DREW BARRAND its marketing director and appointed BEN WRIGHT as commercial director. Barrand was "formerly a journalist at Marketing, where he covered sports," but was most recently associate director at sports marketing agency Pitch. He "has worked on campaigns for FIFA, UEFA and LOCOG." Wright joins the league from Wasserman, where he is currently senior VP of partnerships & business development. Prior to that he was head of commercial at Tottenham, sponsorship manager at the FA "and a brand manager for Carlsberg." Barrand and Wright join the league as it "completes a commercial restructure" (MARKETING MAGAZINE, 10/10). ... Motorcycling governing body FIM's board of directors named IGNACIO VERNEDA its CEO. Verneda joined FIM as sports director in '06 and was appointed exec director of sports in '10. In that capacity, he oversaw the sports commissions as well as the int'l medical & technical commissions. He was also the FIM representative in the Grand Prix, Superbike and Speedway Grand Prix Commissions (ROAD RACING WORLD, 10/9). ... Indian Super League side FC Pune City co-Owner SALMAN KHAN is set to be replaced by Bollywood actor HRITHIK ROSHAN. Khan tweeted on Thursday that he was "not a co owner of any ISL team." He said that his friends DHEERAJ and KAPIL WADHAWAN had "asked him to be the partner for the team." He further stated the "reason for the same was because of his endorsement contract with Suzuki and Thums Up which conflicted with the league sponsors." Roshan is "set to replace him as the new co owner" (INDIAN TELEVISION, 10/9).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Former Scottish Premiership side Celtic Manager NEIL LENNON has been named as the manager of League Championship side Bolton Wanderers. Lennon, 43, "out of work since leaving Celtic in May after four years in charge," succeeds DOUGIE FREEDMAN, who left the Trotters earlier this month. The Northern Irishman "officially takes over at Bolton on Monday, with his first match in charge being Saturday's trip to Birmingham City" (BBC, 10/12).
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