IMG NAMES ROBERT BIRGE, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, WORLDWIDE

Will Lead Company's Worldwide Brand Management, Advertising and Strategic Marketing Initiatives

IMG, the world's premier sports, entertainment and media company, today announced the promotion of Robert Birge to Chief Marketing Officer, Worldwide.

Reporting to Ted Forstmann, IMG's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Birge will be responsible for global brand management, advertising and strategic marketing initiatives for all of IMG’s business units around the world.  Previously, he was Chief Marketing Officer for IMG’s Sports & Entertainment Group.

In this new role, Birge will continue to oversee a central marketing team at IMG’s New York headquarters and will work with marketing and sales teams on a worldwide basis. 

"Marketing, brand management and advertising play a significant and growing role at our company," said Forstmann.  "Robert did tremendous work at our Sports & Entertainment group, and I am very happy that the entire IMG organization and our sports, entertainment and media assets around the world will now benefit from his marketing expertise and leadership."

"As Ted continues to expand IMG’s unrivaled portfolio of sports, entertainment and media assets, branding and marketing will play a critical role in our overall efforts to provide global marketing and media solutions," added Birge.  "I look forward to helping our clients and partners leverage our properties."

Before joining IMG in 2006, Birge was Managing Director of TBWA\Chiat\Day, New York, where he oversaw day-to-day operations, including client service, recruitment and new business development for the New York office of the global advertising firm. 

Prior to his work at TBWA\Chiat\Day, Birge was a member of Boston Consulting Group's consumer marketing and e-commerce practice.  He also worked in brand management and marketing consulting at Miller Brewing Company and the Marketing Corporation of America.

He earned his MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management and his AB at Dartmouth College.

Source: IMG