London & Liverpool, 14 September 2009 - Liverpool FC and Standard Chartered Bank announced today they had agreed a four-year deal for the bank to become the club’s main sponsor - the largest commercial agreement in Liverpool’s history. The agreement, which starts in July 2010 and runs through to the end of the 2013-14 season, will see the bank’s name and logo appear on the Liverpool shirt.
Liverpool FC is the most successful club in English football, enjoying a global following most recently evidenced in its highly successful pre-season tour of Singapore and Thailand. As official club sponsors, Standard Chartered will enjoy a major rights package which will provide the platform to significantly step up the Bank’s brand awareness across its core markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Standard Chartered PLC, listed on both London and Hong Kong stock exchanges, ranks among the top 25 companies in the FTSE-100 by market capitalisation. The bank has more than doubled its revenue and profits over the last five years and has performed consistently well, delivering record results throughout the recent financial crisis.
Christian Purslow, Managing Director of Liverpool Football Club, commented:
“This partnership brings together two highly successful organisations with a really strong cultural and strategic fit. The sponsorship opportunity attracted a huge level of interest from a wide array of globally recognised brands and in Standard Chartered we believe we have the ideal partner to move forward and help develop our global ambitions for the club. It is a real sign of the progress we have made at Liverpool that we have been able to secure the largest ever commercial deal in our history.”
Peter Sands, Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered PLC, said:
“This is a great partnership. We are excited to be working with such a famous global brand as Liverpool Football Club for the next four years. This is an outstanding opportunity for Standard Chartered, our customers and shareholders, and for Liverpool, its players and fans"
“We see many opportunities to continue growing our business, particularly as Asia, Africa and the Middle East are emerging from the global downturn more quickly than the West. This sponsorship will drive a step change in brand recognition in our key markets and will provide an additional catalyst for our business growth.”
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For further information please contact:
Tim Baxter
Head of Corporate Communications
Standard Chartered PLC
Tel: +44 20 7885 5573
Mobile: +44 7889 137060
Ian Cotton
Director of Communications
Liverpool Football Club
Tel: +44 151 230 5721
Mobile: +44 7710 063660
Note to Editors:
Liverpool Football Club
Liverpool FC is one of the world’s most famous football clubs. Founded in 1892, Liverpool is England's most successful club, winning a record 18 League Titles, seven FA Cups, seven League Cups, five European Cups and the UEFA Cup on three occasions. Liverpool can also lay claim to 15 Charity Shield wins and three European Super Cup successes.
The unprecedented success of the modern era began under legendary manager Bill Shankly and has continued through to the famous Champions League win in Istanbul when Rafael Benitez led his side to victory in May 2005, a game widely acknowledged as one of the greatest in footballing history.
Liverpool's passionate supporters, centered around the world famous Kop, also saw further success in the 2006 FA Cup and a second appearance in three years in the Champions League final 12 months later in Athens.
The Club continues to grow and is committed to the construction of a new 60,000 seat LFC Stadium. Liverpool FC has already invested significant sums in the restoration of nearby Stanley Park, the Isla Gladstone Conservatory and other regeneration initiatives in the Anfield area. Its outstanding work in the local community has recently been recognised by the award of the national CommunityMark accolade.
For more information on Liverpool Football club please visit
www.liverpoolfc.tvStandard Chartered – leading the way in Asia, Africa and the Middle East
Standard Chartered PLC, listed on both London and Hong Kong stock exchanges, ranks among the top 25 companies in the FTSE-100 by market capitalisation. The London-headquartered Group has operated for over 150 years in some of the world's most dynamic markets, leading the way in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Its income and profits have more than doubled over the last five years primarily as a result of organic growth.
Standard Chartered aspires to be the best international bank for its customers across its markets. The Group earns around 90 per cent of its income and profits in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, from its Wholesale and Consumer Banking businesses. The Group has over 1600 branches and outlets located in over 70 countries. The extraordinary growth of its markets and businesses creates exciting and challenging international career opportunities.
Leading by example to be the right partner for its stakeholders, the Group is committed to building a sustainable business over the long term and is trusted worldwide for upholding high standards of corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection and employee diversity. It employs around 70,000 people, nearly half of whom are women. The Group's employees are of 125 nationalities, of which about 70 are represented in the senior management.