BT Agrees Three-Year Title Sponsorship

BT AGREES THREE-YEAR TITLE SPONSORSHIP
FOR ‘BT TEAM ELLEN’

Ellen MacArthur becomes BT’s Global Ambassador for a Better World

BT today announced a three-year global agreement with the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team to become title sponsor of ‘BT Team Ellen’ – a new sailing team headed up by legendary sailor, Ellen MacArthur. The agreement includes the lead sponsorship of two boats in addition to Ellen becoming an ambassador for BT’s worldwide corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. This new partnership is designed not just to win races, but also to raise awareness of how enhanced communications and technology can help create a better world. 

‘BT Team Ellen’ will bring together the world-class sailors Ellen MacArthur (GBR), Sébastien Josse (FRA) and Nick Moloney (AUS) alongside other sailing talent that is dedicated to success on the water. These sailors will race a BT-sponsored boat in the IMOCA World Ocean Racing Championship 2008/10 including Sébastien Josse’s challenge for the solo 2008 Vendée Globe, and an Extreme 40 in the European Sailing Series 2007/08.

 Ellen MacArthur said: “I am really looking forward to leading the way with ‘BT Team Ellen’. First and foremost I’m a sailor, and have a clear goal for our sailing team to be successful on the water as well as to grow the team of sailors and help younger talent emerge.  There’s only one way to win top tier racing events and that’s to work with the best the world has to offer, so it’s fantastic to have BT on board.”

“This new partnership with BT perfectly complements my own personal, and the team’s objectives for the future. I also know how valuable IT and communications can be as a means to achieving your goals. By working as an ambassador for BT’s CSR projects, we’ll be able to draw much more attention to those issues that effect people across the globe.”

 Francois Barrault, CEO, BT Global Services said: “It’s wonderful to be taking our long-term relationship with Ellen that first began 10 years ago to the next level. Our mutual determination to win is matched by our shared desire to act responsibly towards the environments and societies in which we work.

 “Sustainable development is one of the greatest challenges – and opportunities – for business in the 21st century. We believe that BT can make an important contribution by inspiring people and communities to make a better world through the power of communication skills and technology. ”

“In addition to our investment in the communities where we operate, we are working to create new products and services that will help our customers do business in a responsible way and become more sustainable.  Through this new partnership with Ellen, we hope that we can make an even bigger difference for a better world.”

 BT will be collaborating with Cisco on ‘BT Team Ellen’, underlining both companies’ commitment to sustainable development.  Thierry Drilhon, Managing Director Cisco France and Vice President Cisco Europe, said: “Communications technology can fundamentally transform the way we live and work, enabling organisations to grow for today, without jeopardising the ability of future generations to do the same.  Through supporting ‘BT Team Ellen’ and other joint initiatives, we are delighted to bring this shared vision of business sustainability to life.” 

Ends

Notes for editors

About BT

BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include networked IT services; local, national and international telecommunications services; higher-value broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

In the year ended 31 March 2007, BT Group plc’s revenue was £20,223 million with profit before taxation of £2,484 million.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.  BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. 

For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt.

About Ellen MacArthur

Ellen MacArthur hit the headlines in 2001 after single-handedly sailing around the world in the Vendée Globe race. At 18, she sailed single-handed round Britain and won the BT/YJA Young Sailor of the Year award for being the youngest person to pass her Yachtsmasters Offshore Qualification.  In 1997, Ellen undertook the Mini Transat solo race from Brest in France to Martinique in the French Caribbean. With little money she went to France, bought a 21ft yacht, learned French and refitted the boat on site. She then sailed 2,700 miles across the Atlantic, completing in 33 days. This led to her first major sponsorship from Kingfisher plc when she raced a 50ft boat in the 1998 Route du Rhum transatlantic race.  Ellen won in her class and finishing fifth overall in the monohulls.

Before becoming a household name in Britain, Ellen became a heroine in France, where she has been named 'La Jeune Espoire de la Voile' or ‘sailing's young hope’! She was awarded a DBE at Buckingham Palace by the Queen in 2005. Ellen holds five WSSRC (World Sailing Speed Racing Council) ratified speed records including the solo round the world record in a time of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds set in 2005 onboard a 75ft trimaran.  Ellen established the Ellen MacArthur Trust in 2003 that takes young people sailing to help them regain their confidence, on their way to recovery from cancer, leukemia and other serious illness.

For more information, visit

www.teamellen.com

www.ellenmacarthur.com

www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org

About Cisco

Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate.  Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.