Karen Earl crowned Sunday Times Businesswoman of the Year
Synergy Chairman wins inaugural business award at Sportswomen of the Year
3rd November 2009, London – Karen Earl, Chairman of leading sponsorship consultancy Synergy, was named the first winner of the Businesswoman of the Year Award at today’s 2009 Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards. The ceremony, which took place at The David Beckham Academy in East Parkside, recognises leading sportswomen and unsung heroes alike.
The Businesswoman of the Year Award, a new award for 2009, is presented to the most inspirational woman running a business within the sports industry. The award is voted on by a judging panel including Amanda Bennett – Head of Policy, UK Sport; Jo Colin – Head of High Quality PE, Youth Sport Trust and chaired by the BBC Radio 5 Live presenter, Eleanor Oldroyd.
Karen Earl, who this year is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Synergy, is Chairman of the European Sponsorship Association; the sponsorship trade association she co-founded in 1990.
Upon winning, Karen commented:
“I’m absolutely thrilled to win this prestigious award. It’s particularly appropriate to have won whilst Synergy is celebrating its 25th year in business. I, of course, would not have won this award had I not been surrounded by such wonderful people”
Since setting up Karen Earl Sponsorship (KES) in 1984, Karen has become the leading doyenne in the industry and is widely recognised as one of the most influential people in sport in the UK. Karen masterminded the agency being bought by Engine in 2007 and having successfully overseen the re-brand of the agency (from Karen Earl Sponsorship to Synergy) in May 2008, the company remains one of the few truly independent sponsorship consultancies in Europe. Synergy boasts a broad range of clients and some of the biggest brands in the world including Aviva, Betfair, Bupa, Chivas Regal, Coca-Cola, Guinness and RBS.
CEO of Engine, Peter Scott commented on the award,
“We had for a long, long time admired Karen from afar and were delighted when she and her team at Karen Earl Sponsorship became part of Engine. Since then our admiration for her has grown in strides – she is an inspirational leader who has built what is widely recognised as a best in class consultancy in the sector.
She is in all senses of the word a true Olympian.”
By Synergy on November 3rd, 2009
Tags: Press Clipping