Nationwide appoints football chief

Nationwide Building Society has promoted Peter Gandolfi to the new role of head of football.

The role has been created to oversee the 25m worth of investment the financial services company will sink into UK football over the next four years.

A spokesman for the company says: “Peter’s job will be to maximise the public’s knowledge of our work in every area we are involved in. We want to be closely associated with the national game, in the same way Sky and Carling are.”

Gandolfi will build a team of up to six account handlers to oversee the company’s involvement in the various leagues and national squads sponsored by Nationwide. He will report to marketing director Mike Lazenby.

The company will reflect its football sponsorships in its upcoming advertising and marketing campaigns. Nationwide sponsors no other sports.

Gandolfi, who has worked for the company for over ten years, was previously the company’s area manager for the Chilterns region, which covered 25 branches and 250 staff.

Nationwide is the sponsor of the England national team, and associate sponsor of the Scottish national team, the English Football League and amateur Football Conference, as well as the Irish Gold League.