Volvo Ocean Race appoint PR director

Ex-Formula 1 man and Fleet St journalist joins the Whiteley team

The Volvo Ocean Race has announced that Cameron Kelleher has been appointed as PR Director. Kelleher has extensive experience in marketing communications in Formula One having formerly held the positions of Head of Communications for the Stewart Grand Prix and Jaguar Racing teams.

A 10-year Fleet Street veteran, he is also a former Deputy Sports Editor of the Daily Mail and London-based correspondent for the Herald and Weekly Times Group, Australia.

He has also undertaken various contract freelance sub-editing and writing commitments with The Times and Sunday Times before becoming Night Editor (Sport) of The Independent in 1991.

Prior to joining the Volvo Ocean Race, he worked as a sports marketing and PR consultant. This involved projects in Formula One, Champ Cars, UEFA Champions League, Moto GP, World Superbikes and the World Match Play golf championship.

Relishing the transition from horsepower to sail power, he said: "The Volvo Ocean Race is a truly global sporting adventure, which offers unique media opportunities. Our aim is to get under the skin of the event, capturing the drama and human endeavour, both mental and physical, and engage the media in this compelling odyssey.

"We will be rolling out a number of communications initiatives over the next few months designed to generate vibrant news and features content across all strands of output - print, broadcast programming and online. Changes to the rules, including the debut of the Volvo 70 design, scoring gates, extra pit stops and in-port racing will enable us to bring the action into sharper focus for spectators and media like.

"Our news flow is intensifying as syndicates come together, sponsorships are announced and design and boat build projects begin. With six boats already announced we are in very good shape at this stage of our preparations for the race.

"We will play to our strengths on the communications side. Our tag line is Volvo Ocean Race: Life at the extreme ... and our objective is to do what it says on the tin."