Communications

For eight years Paul headed up external and internal comms for Sony Music UK during a period of massive change for the company and the entire music industry. He was instrumental in forming the new company culture after Sony and BMG merged, one that has been described as best-in-business. His daily work saw him liaise with a huge number of internal and external parties to present a positive image of Sony Music as it fully embraced the digital era.

Prior to this, Paul ran the artist Press office for BMG Records for over six years during one of the most fruitful periods in its history. He oversaw press campaigns for a wide range of recording artists including; Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Kasabian, The Script, Outkast, Pink, Natasha Bedingfield, Britney Spears, Foo Fighters and Usher.

His independant company Eagle Owl Communications to date has worked with clients such as Sony Music UK, Help Musicians UK, Olivia Grace London, Three Six Zero, The state51 Conspiracy, James Grant Group, Century Club, Tonik Music, Jaguar Land Rover, The Wise Music Group, Primary Talent, Karma Music, Groove Platforms, Akira Records, uduX and IFPI. Paul will provide excellent insight in how to manage communications and social media, as well how riders can handle the press. Further to this, he will advise how they can manage scrutiny and criticism online.

FEI World Number One - Dressage Youth

Valentina is a 21-year-old German dressage rider and bachelor student at the University of Amsterdam. She is currently training with Rosi Kemper and Vincent van Gasselt, who successfully represented the Netherlands in his youth and was a member of the Dutch team at the Nations Cup in Aachen.

Valentina has been sitting on a horse since before she could walk. Her parents have been breeding horses for over thirty years and her brother has competed successfully up to junior level. Her older brother has always been her role model and her parents have supported her throughout her journey.

While at school, she started training her pony Champ of Class with Coby van Baalen in 2014, commuting to the Netherlands every weekend. In 2015 Gonnelien Rothenberger took over the training. Conveniently, the Rothenberger stable was just a three-minute bike ride from her home in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe. With her first horse, Valentina decided to move to the stable of Stefanie Lugge-Kerner, who had been a rider at Kasselman for sixteen years. In the seven years that Valentina trained with Stefanie, they took part in four European Championships and won eleven medals in the junior and young rider division. They recently parted ways as Valentina decided to move to the Netherlands to pursue her education. She now trains with Vincent van Gasselt and Rosi Kemper.

At the beginning of 2018, Valentina took over the reins of Flamboyant OLD from Isabell Werth. The two were a match from the start, winning three silver medals at the European Championships in Fontainebleau just six months after her first time sitting in his saddle. Together they have represented Germany at the European Championships four times, winning three gold medals.

In the future, Valentina hopes to work her way up to U25 and Grand Prix level with her only 8-year-old mare and other horses from the family breeding, while balancing dressage with her studies.

Valentina studies Media & Information at the University of Amsterdam, a programme that has been ranked number one for media studies for three consecutive years.

British Grand Prix Dressage Rider