Infront Austria moves closer to association clients and further strengthens its management team
The move takes the company’s operating business closer to major association clients – such as the International Biathlon Union (IBU), the International Luge Federation (FIL) and the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (FIBT) – as well as Infront supervised events in the region.
Besides the relocation, an extension of Infront Austria’s management team is also planned. Michael Witta (36), currently Director Winter Sports at Infront’s headquarters in Zug, Switzerland, will be appointed as Managing Director Marketing & Sales from spring 2012. His role will support Stefan Krauss, who takes over as Managing Director of Infront Austria from 1 January 2012. Dr Stefan Seykora, the current Managing Director of Infront Austria, will release all operational duties from 30 June 2012 to join the company’s advisory board. The new management will continue to report to Bruno Marty, Executive Director Winter Sports at Infront.
Michael Witta has over ten years experience in sports marketing. The economics graduate began his career in 2000 at the International Management Group (IMG), where he was Project Head 1. FC Köln and later became Director of Winter Sports. Since 2008, he has been responsible for the sponsorship sales of the collectively marketed Audi FIS Ski World Cup events at Infront Sports & Media.
Infront Austria is one of Europe’s centres of excellence for winter sports marketing. It holds a longstanding partnership with the International Biathlon Union marketing the IBU World Cup and the IBU World Championship Biathlon. Infront Austria also handles the marketing of the Vierschanzentournee, based on a partnership with the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) and the German Ski Federation (DSV). Additionally, the subsidiary has a long-standing partnership with the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) handling stadium advertising for the home games of the ÖFB team.
Bruno Marty, Infront’s Executive Director Winter Sports, said: “From the summer of 2012, Infront Austria will move closer to important partners – including IBU, FIBT and FIL – as well as to key winter sports events. Through this strategic decision, we want to intensify our cooperation with these partners – repositioning ourselves geographically enables us to interact more effectively between rights holders and commercial partners. Having close proximity to rights holders is one of our major concerns across the group and the relocation from Lustenau to Salzburg therefore a logical step. At the same time we are strengthening the local management team with the addition of a proven sales professional to further enhance Infront Austria’s marketing and sales strategy.”
Infront – number ONE in winter sports
Infront is the strongest, most experienced marketing agency in the winter sports arena, representing six out of seven Olympic winter sport federations. Infront has a long-term partnership with the IIHF in world ice hockey and a major role in international skiing, where it manages more than 90% of the media and/or marketing rights to FIS World Cup events, including the prestigious Vierschanzentournee. Through its close working relationship with the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS), Infront is also involved in the distribution of media and marketing rights for other FIS events. Partnerships with the FIBT for bobsleigh and skeleton, the FIL for luge, the IBU for biathlon and the WCF for curling complete the comprehensive portfolio.
For further information, please contact:
Jörg Polzer / Nike Möhle
Corporate Communications
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
press infrontsports.com
www.infrontsports.com
