Aberdeen Asset Management Partners with Land Rover BAR

Aberdeen Asset Management, the global investment group, has been confirmed as Performance Partner to Land Rover BAR, the British America’s Cup team led by Sir Ben Ainslie, Olympic gold medalist and 34th America's Cup winner.

The initial three year partnership was announced in Bermuda where the team is currently preparing for the 35th America’s Cup. Aberdeen Asset Management hopes the partnership will allow them to reach the growing fan base of the America’s Cup and will work with Sir Ben and the team to share their expertise in using data to boost performance at sea and moe widely in terms of investment.

Land Rov​er BAR A​cademy f​lying in​ Muscat,​ Oman. P​hoto: Ll​oyd Imag​es

Data capture and processing to enhance performance lies at the core of both Aberdeen Asset Management and Land Rover BAR and jointly they have considerable resources and access to valuable data. 

Martin Gilbert, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management, said,

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with Land Rover BAR to compete in the America’s Cup over the next three years. As a company we appreciate the importance of maintaining a true global footprint and our support of the team allows us to do that. Together with Land Rover BAR we are used to analysing the best routes to take in challenging conditions, and we’re proud to be able to share insights with them as they prepare to hopefully bring the Cup back to where we think it belongs.”

 Sir Ben Ainslie, Team Principal and Skipper of Land Rover BAR, said,

“It is fantastic for us to have Aberdeen Asset Management on board as Performance Partner. From our initial conversations it’s obvious there is an alignment between the ways we both go about our business; seeking to optimise data acquisition, storage and analysis strategies to gain a competitive edge. The Land Rover BAR team can certainly help Aberdeen reach a new audience and we look forward to working with them over the next three years to explore the ways in which we both use data to get us over the line ahead of our competitors.”

The Land Rover BAR team will launch their campaign for the America’s Cup Qualifiers on 26 May in Bermuda, with the 35th America’s Cup Match beginning on 17 June. The event will be streamed to a global audience spanning 48 territories, broadcast live on NBC in the US and BT Sport in the UK. So far no British team has ever won the Cup and hopes are high for a first.

Aberdeen’s existing sporting portfolio includes sponsorships in golf, skiing, rugby and rowing. In the world of sailing, the group has also partnered with the Cowes Week Regatta, the Extreme Sailing Series and the Farr 40’s and Dragon Class. 

 

R1 has l​ift off ​on The G​reat Sou​nd. Phot​o: Alex ​Palmer

Since launching 'Rita', their America's Cup Class race boat at the beginning of February, the sailing team has been out training on the Great Sound, striding ahad with new systems and foils, and preparing the America's Cup just a few months away. The sailing and design teams are putting everything into it and with less than 80 days to the start of racing, it's vital to maximise every day.

The 11th Hour Racing Exploration Zone has proved very popular in Bermuda and over 500 school children have visited so far. All enjoyed a STEM lesson, learned about the technologies onboard Rita and how to tackle Bermuda's Lionfish invasion.