The company behind the Great North Run has secured a five-year sponsorship deal with Manchester-based investment platform AJ Bell.
AJ Bell has become the 'title partner' of the Great Run Series, which includes the company's events in Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Portsmouth. The move follows changes at the Gateshead-based company last year including the appointment of former BP managing director Peter Mather as chairman, replacing Sir Brendan Foster who became president of the business.
At the same time, chief executive Paul Foster said the company had ambitious expansion plans in place for the next five years including the introduction of an ultra-marathon event in the Lake District National Park and investment into the company's production outfit, Film Nova. As the UK's largest running event and the world's largest half marathon, the Great North Run alone will afford AJ Bell significant exposure as it is televised live on the BBC and in 169 territories around the world.
