Sport Industry Group Appoints New Head Of Content & Comms

Senior sports marketing communications practitioner, Catherine Inkster, has joined Sport Industry Group as its new head of content and communications.

Inkster is an ex-managing partner of Seven46, the specialist sports content and campaign agency founded by London 2012 bid veteran and former sports journalist Nick Varley, which formed a five-year strategic partnership with Havas Sports & Entertainment from 2012 to 2017.

She brings more than a decade of international experience working mainly with sports federations, organisers and sponsors within the Olympic movement, including the IOC, IPC, IAAF, London 2012 and Badminton World Federation (BWF).

Most notably, she played a role in three successive winning bids for the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, with Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, whom she has continued to support since leaving Seven46 in October 2017 to pursue various freelance opportunities including in football and esport. 

As part of her new role, Inkster will take over many responsibilities from Jason White, Sport Industry Group’s senior content and communications manager, who is leaving the business after seven years for a career break to go travelling, before returning to the UK in 2019. 

Alex Coulson, executive director of Sport Industry Group said: “Catherine brings a huge breadth of first-class international communications experience coupled with a proven track record of producing winning content and copy. Catherine will help expand Sport Industry Group’s offering to the sector as we constantly look to evolve and refresh the ways we support organisations across the industry.  

“We are of course very sad to see Jason go, the business owes him a great debt of gratitude for the time and commitment he has given us over the years. We know we will see him again, after his highly enviable trip around the world, when he comes back to the industry and he will be a huge asset to the next company lucky enough to have him.”

Catherine Inkster, head of content at communications at Sport Industry Group, added: “Sport Industry Group is a brand that holds real esteem, affection, and a special place in my heart and those of all my peers. It’s a privilege to work with landmark properties such as the BT Sport Industry Awards and the now well-established Sport Industry NextGen professional development programme, which have played a major role in shaping careers and setting new industry standards. 

“I’m also looking forward to helping continue Sport Industry Group’s track record of innovation as we put some exciting plans in motion over the coming months.”

Sport Industry Group promotes business across the sport sector through a series of world-class events, including the BT Sport Industry Awards and Sport Industry NextGen – which opened for applications this week; leading editorial content via the Sport Industry Daily; and unparalleled networking opportunities, attended by senior, influential figures from across the British and international sporting landscape. 

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