Media and Sponsorship
Safety and Corporate Responsibility
Operational Delivery
Reality Management
...return to the Adventure page
Media and Sponsorship are very easy to quantify. However it has been Paul’s experience in operational duties that has enabled him to deliver
in the boardrooms of major corporates and the cutting rooms of the media world. An in depth understanding of how an event is structured
financially and operationally and, a clear understanding of a sponsor’s demands on a return on their investment enable Paul to maximise
his commitment to a media and sponsorship role.
This work started with Bernie Shrosbree in 2002 when Bernie was head of Human Performance at Benetton Formula 1. Paul was given the opportunity
to present a marketing idea to their head of marketing. This was my first foray into understanding the importance of sponsorship at the
highest level and how major companies see sponsorship as an acquisition of Asset. After a process of legal engagement, confidentially
and negotiation and many hours of number crunching, Benetton agreed to his idea but it was put on ice by the head of Renault Motorsport because
he deemed it ahead of its time.
The experience gained from this and other scenarios enabled Paul to take the Queensgate Atlantic Rowing Team
from a relative unknown team to a front page media story at the Southampton boat show. Jason Hart Queensgate rower stated "Paul White was a
latecomer to our project – employed by Queensgate to help us meet our two objectives. He did more for us media wise, than all of us put together,
in the previous five months".
Urgency and creativity are key skills when under pressure to deliver. In more recent times Paul's involvement with the media had taken another twist. In 2008, Mark
Webber Formula 1 driver had an accident whilst cycling and participating in his own event in a wilderness area of Tasmania sustaining a serious injury. Paul, acting
in his role as "Operations Director" for the Challenge happened to be following Mark in a four wheel drive vehicle. "I had to make some very precise decisions
about our own film crew and photographers involvement in recording the incident. Experience told me to understand the significance of the incident and to act
with the highest level of ethic’s and support for Mark and the whole Challenge team".
He closed down the entire area and refused Mark's own media team’s access to the accident site. This caused
a high level on animosity amongst the media but proved to be the absolute correct decision. Within hours of the accident the Worlds Media was all over the event
like a rash and opinions about Mark’s future were negative and destructive. As no photos were available of the accident other than the items under Mark’s
Management Team's control, it enabled the story to be released in a correct and positive manner. Paul says "It would have been very easy to crumble under the pressure of the
occasion". The history books show that Mark defied everyone by returning to Formula 1 within 12 weeks of the accident.
The lesson that Paul leant here was that the press have a saying "Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story". The picture they were after was worth £50,000 on
the open market and using his knowledge, experience and judgement contained a potentially explosive situation.
In 2009 he continued to negotiate sponsorship in meetings with EDF , WWF and Nokia with Conrad Humphreys in pursuit of securing a future for the Blue Mile.
In 2012 he handled the entire media delivery with Zoe Young and David Steele of the Arctic Jubilee Challenge, which went global as the most remote tea party
held for the Queen's Jubilee.
Paul's passion for adventure has ensured that he has always been determined in his delivery of sponsorship proposals at the highest level and
this experience now forms part of the ICE proposal going forward.
Adventure Journey
2017
ASPIRE 360 Round Britain Sailing Challenge
2013
Three Peaks 24 Hour Challenge (Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Snowdon)
BCS United Learning ICE Adventure Challenge 2013
2012
Race2Recovery Dakar Team
Arctic Jubilee Expedition
2011
Tuareg Rallye: Personal Challenge - Navigator on Desert Rally
WWF Ecover Blue Mile: Operations Director
2010
WWF Blue Mile: Co-founder of Blue Mile with Conrad Humphreys
Engadin Skimarathon: Personal Challenge
2009
Nokia Nordic Adventure Challenge: Operations for Nokia on new adventure concept
2008
John O Groat’s to Land's End Cycle: : Personal Challenge
Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge 2008: Operations Director
2007
Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge: Operations
Devises to Westminster Kayak Race: Personal Challenge
2006
Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge: Talented Athlete Engagement
2005
Driver Management Chris Cooke Racing at Donington
2004
Queensgate First Four Man Team to row the Atlantic Row
2003
World Cup Rally 2003: Navigator for Sophie Robinson
Great North Run: Ran the Run as a Personal Challenge
2002
Working with Bernie Shrosbree
Oxygen Tents, Hydration Drinks, Motorsport Experience, Carbon Racing Bikes
2001
World Cup Rally 2001 - Team Eco flow: Navigator for Lee Broderick
2000
British Rally Championship - Andy Burnell Rally Team
1999
British Rally Championship - Mike White Rally Team
1998
British Rally Championship - Mike White Rally Team
1985
The first Triathlon Pro Wetsuit Designed, Launched as the First of its Kind in the World of Triathlon
Bill Rodgers Etonic Triathlon Team: First Commercially sponsored Triathlon Team.
British Long Course Championships
1984
London to Paris Triathlon
Dartmoor 100; Personal Challenge to run a 100 miles across Dartmoor
This website was created and is hosted by Phil Guy
