Aon and Yachting NZ win Commercial Partnership Award

Aon and Yachting New Zealand are celebrating the win of the Commercial Partnership Award at the 2015 Sport and Recreation Awards. This award is a prestigious one in the Sport Industry that annually recognizes the formation of one outstanding partnership between a commercial entity and a sporting organization.

This successful partnership was formed firstly on one of Yachting New Zealand’s overall business goals to develop more value for members.

"Insurance is the single most expensive line item for most of our member clubs" explains Yachting New Zealand’s Chief Executive, David Abercrombie. "Given the flow on effects from the Christchurch earthquakes, we knew we had to find a collective solution to this problem."

Abercrombie continues: "Aon New Zealand quickly presented themselves as a partner that could not only support the clubs, but also add value to all our members. We are seeing the benefits in all corners of our sport, and are proud to have been selected from amongst the other finalists for this accolade".

The finalists for the 2015 Commercial Partnership award at the Sport and Recreation Awards were:

New Zealand Rugby League and DB Breweries

Taranaki Secondary School Sports Association and Shell Todd Partnership

Yachting New Zealand and Aon New Zealand

Geoff Blampied, Aon New Zealand Chief Executive, attributes the success of the relationship to communication and the mutual desire to continue broadening the reach of the partnership.

"The commitment to the Aon / Yachting New Zealand partnership by a number of people in each organisation has been key to a beneficial start for both parties" says Blampied.

"We are proud to not only help bring some cost savings to clubs, but to also ensure risk is properly assessed and that sailors have the appropriate cover in place should an incident arise" he continues. "On top of that, we are excited to be immersed in the boating community and see hundreds of kids wearing Aon on their PFD’s in the youth programmes we support".

The New Zealand Sport and Recreation Awards Judging panel, which included Peter Dale (Chair), Sir John Wells, Jennifer Gill, Selwyn Maister, and Peter Miskimmin, said they were ‘impressed with the variety, quality and impact of the many projects and programmes’ that became finalists for these awards.

Yachting New Zealand was also a finalist in the 2009 Sport and Recreation Awards in the Innovation category, for the success of the Volvo Sailing…Have a Go! Programme.