Euro Sport & Event Management Spain (ESEM Spain) has appointed Pepe Sanchez as its new sales and marketing manager.

The agency, which has its sister company in Manchester (ESEM UK), began operating from its Spanish office in Spring 2009, with Pepe now joining the Marbella-based team with a brief to increase the company’s market share in the Incentive and Event sector.  

After a successful start to life on mainland Europe, during which time operations manager, Mariëlle Liedenbaum, has helped to run training camps for the likes of Dynamo Kiev and Lokomotiv Moscow as well as supporting both Levski Sofia and the Ukraine national team as they prepared for key games, the company is now ready to expand further.  Managing director, Christian Machowski, explains:  “Our first year in Spain has been a huge success but we now need to kick on and I’m delighted to be welcoming an operator of Pepe’s experience to our team. His reputation in the industry is second to none and with over 30 years’ experience, I am confident that we have found the right man for what will be a considerable challenge going forward.”

Pepe began his career working in the hotel industry as the popularity of the Costa del Sol increased during the 1970s.  His next move came in 1996 when he joined the Marbella-based Travelmasters agency where he worked as the company’s commercial director for over ten years before leaving to set up as an independent operator, working directly with hotels, travel agencies and golf clubs throughout the Costa del Sol.  Pepe is also a founding board member of the SIMA (Asociation Española de Incentives y Reuniones), an organisation which promotes Spain as the ideal Incentives and Meetings destination.

Looking ahead to his challenge, Pepe adds: “These are exciting times for ESEM Spain and I’m delighted to be joining such a positive and energetic company where my ambitions are mirrored by such a dynamic and professional team.

“It’s important to note that the company is not only operating in the Costa del Sol, but that it is also active in all of the major Spanish cities, including Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Valencia.  That’s highly impressive, given that there has only been a firm presence in the county for a little over a year and it gives us an ideal platform for growth.  

“I very much hope that my experience and determination, together with that of Mariëlle and the input from Christian will see us grow our market share and become firmly established as the leading name in the Incentive Travel and Event Management industry here in Spain and indeed, across Europe.”

Christian concludes: “As with sport in general, it is always important to remember that you are only as good as the people that make up your team and I don’t think we could have made a better appointment at this vital point in our development.  

“There is no substitute for experience and I’m sure that with our Winter Football Training Camp Catalogue almost ready for launch and with other projects already on the go, Pepe will soon settle into his role and bring his influence to bear.”

You can contact Pepe Sanchez on pepe@esem-europe.com.