Professional Sports Group announces new heads of representation and sponsorship

As part of PSG's expansion plans Richard Downey has been promoted to Head of Sponsorship for Olympic and Team Sports and Michela Chiappa joins PSG to take on the role of Account Director on the Etihad Airways portfolio of UK sponsorships. Both Chiappa and Downey will form part of PSG's UK Management Committee.

Richard Downey's promotion in PSG's representation department follows a successful period for the company's athletes, which most recently saw Tom Daley crowned World Diving Champion on the 10m platform at the World Championships in Rome.

Other PSG clients include world #1 ranked triathlete Alistair Brownlee, Olympic Legend Sir Matthew Pinsent and Olympic gold medalists Pete Reed, Geraint Thomas and Jason Kenny.

Michela Chiappa joins PSG as Head of Sponsorship from Nakheel in the UAE, and will be responsible for the management and activation of Etihad Airways' sponsorship of Manchester City Football Club. PSG has been the exclusive sponsorship agency working for Etihad Airways since January 2007, and has been instrumental in creating, negotiating and activating Etihad's rapidly expanding portfolio of sponsorship partnerships across various sports, including Ferrari F1, Harlequins Rugby Club, the GAA Hurling Championship, Chelsea Football Club and the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne

Jamie Cunningham, Founder and Group Managing Director, commented:

"We already have an excellent team in the UK. Richard's promotion is well deserved as he is one of the best client managers in UK sport. We have also worked with Michela in the Middle East and know that she will further enhance our consulting business here."

Professional Sports Group was founded in 1996 and has established itself as one of the leading sports marketing companies in Europe and the Middle East. With offices in the UK and the Abu Dhabi, PSG has four divisions; Marketing, Events, Sponsorship and Representation. Through each of these, Professional Sports Group is uniquely placed to deliver world-class service for brands, sports personalities and rights-holders.