FA hires three marketing chiefs

The Football Association’s first marketing director, Paul Barber, has appointed three senior sports marketers to complete a restructure of the governing body’s marketing department.

Barber, who joined from Barclays Bank this summer (MW May 11), has created the senior roles to help devise a new branding strategy for the FA.

Helen Willis, who worked as a consultant on the 2006 World Cup bid and for Umbro and Coca-Cola, becomes head of brand management. Hazel Ruscoe, also a former sports marketing consultant, is head of marketing communications.

James Worrall has joined from Bristol City FC as marketing manager for the England Members’ Club.

The FA is now seeking a head of commercial development to complete the senior line-up.

Barber denies that anyone has been axed as part of the shake-up: “We have virtually the same number of personnel – about 20 – but all the roles have been redefined to place greater emphasis on marketing.”

FA chief executive Adam Crozier created the body’s first marketing department and appointed Barber to devise a long-term strategy to exploit the FA’s top properties – the FA Cup and the England international team.

The restructure comes one month before the FA moves out of Lancaster Gate in London, which has been its headquarters for nearly 80 years. It is moving to a refurbished building in Soho Square, which Barber says will help maintain the momentum of change.