M&C Saatchi Merlin Launches New Division

19 Jul 2015 | tshego

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Talent management agency M&C Saatchi Merlin has launched a new athlete division, featuring the likes of Olympic, European and Commonwealth long jump champion Greg Rutherford, double European and Commonwealth medallist Jodie Williams, double European 400m indoor champion and world indoor gold medallist Perri Shakes-Drayton and European indoor heptathlete champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

The agency’s athlete management division will be headed by Greg Kirkpatrick.

Other existing clients, who will now sit within the newly formed athlete division include taekwondo gold medallist at London 2012, Jade Jones, and snowboarder Jenny Jones, who won bronze at the 2014 Winter Games.

Meanwhile Mo Farah will continue to have his off-track commercial activities managed by M&C Saatchi Merlin.

M & C Saatchi Merlin was formed in 2013, ten years after the launch of Merlin Elite.

M&C Saatchi Merlin chairman Richard Thompson said: “These are hugely exciting times at the agency, with the ever-increasing expertise that the M&C Saatchi group offers. Our extraordinary talent roster signifies what we stand for: working with the best British talent. That’s what Mo Farah, Greg Rutherford, Jodie Williams, Perri Shakes-Drayton and Katarina Johnson-Thompson symbolise. This group of athletes represents the most exciting UK Olympic talent.”

Greg Kirkpatrick, head of athlete development, added: “We strongly believe in the potential that Katarina, Perri and Jodie have to become Olympic and World champions and, in Greg’s case, repeat his success to become a double Olympic champion and concurrently hold the Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth titles.

“We’re delighted to work in partnership with Kat, Perri, Jodie and Greg and build the correct individual opportunities away from the track. It’s an exciting time for British athletics with the Olympics in Rio next year and then London hosting the 2017 World Championships at the Olympic Stadium, the setting of British athletics’ finest hour where both Greg and Mo became household names.”