Why Investec is proud to sponsor rugby’s Champions Cup
Twenty-four elite teams, 23m spectators to date, transmitted to over 150 countries across the globe, the Investec Champions Cup is a true celebration of club rugby at its best.
At times of great uncertainty, sport can always be relied on as a source of joy and hope. We believe that bringing together out of the ordinary talent at an international level is more important now than ever. This is just one of the many reasons why we are so proud to sponsor this global competition.
At Investec, we never settle for ordinary. We constantly strive to improve and excel – and nowhere have I seen a better physical embodiment of that restless spirit than on the pitch in sporting tournaments such as these.
Rugby is a huge passion point for people across our key geographies – the UK and South Africa, two proud centres of rugby heritage. As we mark 30 years of Investec in the UK (and the Champions Cup approaches its 30th birthday), it’s an honour to be a part of that shared heritage.
The world of business has changed enormously over those three decades – and so too has the world of sport. Tournaments such as this can, and should, reflect those changes.
It’s just as important to play a powerful part off the pitch as it is on it. Over the coming years, we look forward to working together with our partner European Professional Club Rugby to continue evolving the competition in line with our shared commitment to sustainability, belonging, inclusion and diversity.
Together, we’ll focus on those areas where we think we can make the biggest positive impact – including progressing towards a carbon neutral tournament, advancing the women’s game, and developing innovative financial solutions and wellness programmes for players.
We approach every Investec partnership with that same mindset and are hugely proud of what these have achieved, from supporting the Great Britain and England Women’s International Hockey team on their journey to becoming 2016 Olympic Gold Medallists to the work we have done since 2011 with Investec Beyond Business, our social enterprise incubation programme.
Just as the best players always remain hungry for that next big win, there’s still so much more we want to achieve as a business – both for our clients and for our communities. Stay tuned. But in the meantime, we hope you enjoy the next few months of world-class rugby.
Tim Burnell is Head of UK and International Marketing at Investec Bank Plc.