ROB MITCHELL has been hired to join the senior management of English Premiership side Wasps and the Ricoh Arena. Mitchell has 20 years of commercial and marketing experience working with a string of blue-chip organizations, and joins the team as head of marketing to lead and oversee all marketing activity across both businesses. He is currently a board director of the European Sponsorship Association and Brand Activation council member of the Direct Marketing Association, positions he will retain with his new role at the Ricoh Arena. Mitchell held roles at Sponsorium Int'l, Leo Burnett Group, 888.com, AB InBev, Ketchum and BMRB Int'l and has worked with brands such as McDonald's, Nestle, Heineken and Stella Artois working on sport, film, music and community projects (Ricoh Arena). ... Octagon welcomed Digital Strategist MEREDITH KINSMAN and Creative Planning Dir PATRICK NARANJO to the agency. Kinsman joined Octagon's digital team working on behalf of various consulting and events clients to drive digital strategy throughout program ideation, planning and execution. Before arriving at Octagon, Kinsman was the director of digital product strategy at Fox News. Naranjo joined Octagon's MasterCard team, working as part of the global team driving strategy and creative planning functions across multiple platforms including sports, entertainment and culinary (Octagon). ... Heineken appointed CINDY TERVOORT to the role of U.K. marketing director. She will join from "food and drink giant PepsiCo." Tervoort will succeed JACCO VAN DER LINDEN, "who was promoted to managing director of Heineken's operating company in China in July, and joins in January." Tervoort will report to U.K. Managing Dir DAVID FORDE, and "will become part of the U.K. senior management team" (MARKETING MAGAZINE, 11/9).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Serie A clubs Sampdoria and Palermo sacked coaches WALTER ZENGA and GIUSEPPE IACHINI, respectively. Zenga was released by Sampdoria "without an immediate replacement;" with former Fiorentina coach VINCENZO MONTELLA reportedly a favorite to "take over at Stadio Luigi Ferrairis." Palermo immediately hired DAVIDE BALLARDINI "for the rest of the season" (SKY SPORTS, 11/10). ... La Liga side Real Sociedad named EUSEBIO SACRISTAN as its "new head coach following the sacking of DAVID MOYES."
Sacristan signed a "two-year deal at Anoeta." A club statement said,
"He will be presented tomorrow [Tuesday] at noon and will lead his first
training session in the afternoon" (GOAL, 11/9). ... Former U.S. Coach BOB BRADLEY is "taking over" at French Ligue 2
side Le Havre. Bradley, who previously managed Egypt, is "joining the
French team from Stabaek after leading the Norwegian side into the
Europa League" (AP, 11/10).
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