Societe Generale announces Sponsorship of Valley Rugby Football Club
Societe Generale, one of the largest European financial services groups, has announced its title sponsorship of Hong Kong’s Valley Rugby Football Club (RFC).
All teams will wear Societe Generale emblazoned shirts, and will be known as “Societe Generale Valley RFC” for the upcoming 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. The sponsorship is intended to help develop rugby talent at the grassroots level and support Hong Kong’s sporting community.
Hikaru Ogata, Chief Executive Officer of Societe Generale Global Banking and Investor Solutions for Asia Pacific said, “Societe Generale and rugby share strong values: team spirit, commitment, innovation and respect. Societe Generale has supported the development of rugby for many years at all levels, and we are delighted to partner with one of Hong Kong’s largest sports clubs and leading rugby team in our 150th anniversary year.”
As a worldwide partner of Rugby World Cup 2011 and 2015, the sponsorship of Valley Fort RFC continues Societe Generale’s long standing tradition of supporting rugby. Since 1987, Societe Generale has extended its involvement with amateur and professional rugby teams around the world and now supports national rugby federations in Asia, Europe and Africa.
Valley RFC was most recently victorious in Hong Kong’s flagship rugby competition, the 2013/14 Premiership Grand Championship Final. The competition attracts some of the top rugby talent from around the rugby-playing world, with this year’s Grand Championship Final at King’s Park drawing over 2,000 spectators. The Club was founded in 1975 by a group of ex-members of the Royal Hong Kong Police Rugby Club, and derives its name from its home in Happy Valley.
Andrew Riebe, Valley RFC Chairman said, “Societe Generale’s long standing global rugby tradition, combined with its strong determination to be the best in their field makes this an ideal fit, especially at a time when the club is going from strength to strength.”
Hong Kong has been the headquarters of Societe Generale’s business in the Asia Pacific region for over 35 years. In recent years Societe Generale has expanded its operations throughout Greater China and India. Its business strategy in Asia is based on a multi-specialist approach with leading positions in equity derivatives, structured products and structured finance.