You Can Bank On It
Polo & More 2014
Polo & More 2014
EFG’s extensive support of polo around the world has earned it
the moniker “The Private Bank For Polo”
By Caroline Stern
Photos compliments of EFG
EFG Bank - Aravali Team, UK High Goal
Photo: www.imagesofpolo.com
B
anks are all about keeping your money safely and prudently whilst polo is all about spending it. Why, therefore would Swiss global banking group EFG dub itself ‘the private bank for polo’ and sponsor the sport lavishly
worldwide?
Since 2007, EFG has been involved in polo sponsorship
at the highest levels, including Britain’s Cartier
International, an EFG Bank high-goal team in Palm
Beach, title sponsorship of the Scandinavian Open and
co-sponsorship of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polo Masters at
Veytay in Switzerland and the Cartier International in
Shanghai.
In fact, polo is only one of EFG’s numerous and diverse
global sporting and cultural sponsorships, which also
include sailing, ice hockey, jazz and literature.
Founded in 1995, the Swiss global private banking
group now operates throughout 30 countries. Seven years
ago, EFG had little or no involvement with sponsorship
of any kind. In 2007 ‘a step change in marketing’ saw
Above: Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup
Photo: Abhishek Acharya
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it begin to build its profile with the appointment
of Keith Gapp as Head of Strategy and Marketing, EFG
International, the rest as they say is history.
Gapp is a Cambridge University educated economist,
now based in Zurich who presides personally over EFG’s
polo and other sponsorships in addition to the banking
group’s overall corporate strategy.
Within a year of Gapp’s appointment, EFG was involved
in polo sponsorship at the highest levels. Formidably
intelligent, yet down-to-earth, the polo sponsorship
supremo describes himself as “more of a semi-finals than
a finals kind of person.”
EFG is the only international polo sponsor that backs
a professional players charity (in the USA) pointing to
a deeper understanding of the game and its people than
most sponsors.
The Bank’s on-going polo sponsorships include the
Dubai Nations Cup since 2009, polo in the USA since
2008, the Veytay Masters in Switzerland since 2008,
the Thai Polo Open since 2009 plus high and low goal
tournaments in the UK; a roster which must represent the
most diverse commitment of any polo sponsor at present.
EFG was first drawn to polo as an upmarket,
aspirational sport. “I felt it had the right criteria and that
polo should become one of the pillars of our marketing
approach. I liked the game’s historical origins and élan”
says Gapp.
However, another experienced and able player was
already within the ranks of EFG, in the shape
of Senior Vice-President Robert Mehm, who was once
handicapped at 3 goals and has played for nearly 40 years.
Gapp and he have “a strong working partnership, I see
polo strategically and he goes out on the field and plays,
though obviously not in the 40-goal!”
The abovementioned is Palm Beach’s annual Outback
Steakhouse 40 Goal Challenge, held in aid of the US
charity the Polo Players Support Group, which provides
financial assistance to seriously injured or ill polo player s
and grooms. EFG has supported the event since 2008.
This year’s EFG team comprised a 39 goal line up of
Adolfo Cambiaso, Sapo Caset, Pablo MacDonough and
Julio Arrellano.
So what means more to EFG – helping out small clubs
and young or injured players or high-profile glamorous
internationals and high-goal? “If you use polo as a mere
back drop for client entertainment, you lose credibility.
But if you follow the polo world and its calendar,
people can say that they know you within polo. Robert
and I believe that we are part of the polo community,
which is unusual for people in our position. For instance,
EFG’s entertaining is often informal, rather than hosting
a £2000 dinner, we know that real polo people often
prefer to dress informally and chill out,” according to
Keith Gapp.
Many EFG sponsorships benefit young people, for example,
the EFG Junior Tennis Programme and the Southbank
Sinfonia for would-be orchestral musicians.
Junior polo players are showcased annually on Veytay
Masters day in Switzerland, and both St Andrews and
Cambridge University Polo Teams have received EFG’s
shilling for the past 5 years and will continue to do so.
“EFG’s support really has been invaluable to us,” says George
Ulmann, Captain of Cambridge University Polo Club (CUPC).
“EFG sponsorship has meant a lot since I’ve been involved in
the club and has enabled us to expand our membership to 49
members and 14 ponies. It importantly allows us to bring on
Left: The Scandinavian Polo Open
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