Foxtel appoints former Diageo director Adam Ballesty to lead sports marketing
Diageo Australia’s former marketing and innovation director Adam Ballesty has joined Foxtel to lead the subscription TV service’s sports marketing efforts.
Ballesty joins Foxtel as the service looks to its sports lineup to drive subscriber numbers and revenues, boosted by the cricket rights it acquired this year in a joint venture with Seven.
Adam Ballesty speaking at the 2017 Mumbrella360 conference
Ballesty spent six years with Diageo before stepping down in May.
In his new role Ballesty will be reporting to CMO Andy Lark, who himself was appointed in January as part of Patrick’s Delany’s refresh of the senior management team.
Former Nine MD Amanda Laing and SkyDeutschland’s COO Euan Smith have also recently joined the business since Delany’s appointment, along with acting COO Pete Campbell appointed to head the service’s sports channels.
“We’re excited to welcome Adam Ballesty to the Foxtel team as our new director of Fox Sports marketing,” said Lark.
“Adam comes to Foxtel following his role as marketing and innovation director at Diageo, where he did an incredible job transforming their agency roster, bringing new energy and creativity to the ready to drink market and bringing new life to the Bundaberg Rum brand.”
“Adam brings a wealth of experience to our family and has great relationships with the NRL and AFL, which he nurtured through sponsorship deals he’s been involved with and we’re thrilled he’s joining us.
“He’s already hit the ground running as he has brings his relationships and unique talents to bear driving our Fox Sports marketing programmes.”
Ballesty added: “Sport has always been a space that I wanted to return to following my time working with the NRL and AFL and Fox Sports is the number one name in sports broadcasting that just keeps getting stronger, especially with the upcoming arrival of cricket giving Foxtel year-round sports coverage.
“I’m excited to join the team at such a high energy time and look forward to helping Patrick, Peter and Andy deliver on their vision for Australian sport broadcasting.”
Hhmmm,
I can’t recall Adam being the CMO of Diageo? Then a confusing multitude of titles in at Foxtel, where everyone seems to be a Director of something?
Is there a correction required here Mumbrella?…..
User ID not verified.
You are absolutely right Hhmmm and the headline has been corrected. Our apologies for the error.
Regards,
Paul Wallbank
News Editor
Smart hire Foxtel. And probably in the lynchpin area for the entire business at the moment.
Good luck Adam