The European Tour announced that Barclays Head of Global Sponsorship & Partnerships NATHAN HOMER, formerly a senior leader at Procter & Gamble, will take up the post of chief commercial and marketing officer, effective Sept. 1. He will identify and maximize the European Tour’s commercial opportunities around the world, overseeing the Tour’s continued growth in new and existing markets. He will help develop the European Tour’s global brand, which includes the Race to Dubai, the season-long competition which in '16 features 47 tournaments in 27 countries, while he will also oversee The Ryder Cup commercial and marketing programs. For the past two years, Homer has played a role in restructuring Barclays sponsorship portfolio and brand positioning. Prior to that, he spent 14 years at Procter & Gamble, including three years leading the Gillette business in the U.K. & Ireland, and more recently four years as global sports marketing and Olympics director (PGA Tour). ... Super League side Huddersfield Giants "appointed former Newcastle Knights boss" RICK STONE as its new head coach until the end of the '18 season. The Giants "had been without a head coach" since sacking PAUL ANDERSON in June (BBC, 7/11).
SIGNING OFF: JEFF SHIFRIN, who helped build Octagon into a global sports marketing force over the last 18 years, "is leaving his post as President & COO to join London-based CSM." Shifrin, "who will operate out of N.Y., will be CSM's CEO for North America and primarily will be tasked with developing its consulting business in the U.S." He begins Aug. 1 and "will report to HARLAN STONE, CSM Chair for this region." Shifrin "had been Octagon President & COO since '05." CSM Group CEO ZAK BROWN said that Shifrin's hire "should be seen as an indicator of the agency's commitment to growth in North America." At Octagon, JOHN SHEA, an SBJ/SBD "Forty Under 40" winner in '08, has been promoted to president of marketing and events and JEFF EHRENKRANZ, a "Forty Under 40" winner in '11, has been promoted to president of int'l marketing. Both "will report directly to Octagon Worldwide Chair & CEO RICK DUDLEY" (THE DAILY).
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