Rob Hartnett has over 20 years experience of public relations, public affairs and senior management, largely within the sports and betting industry.He was Public Relations and Sponsorship Director of the British Horserace Totalisator Board, from 1996-2000 participating in the attempted purchase of the Coral betting shop chain in 1998. He was the senior Tote manager at Aintree when the 1996 Grand National was postponed, taking charge of the welfare of 200 stranded staff and over £1M of hastily abandoned cash.
From 2000 to 2005 he was Communications and then Managing Director of BETDAQ UK, the sports betting exchange owned by financier Dermot Desmond. During his time with BETDAQ he made significant contribution to the UK’s drafting of the Gambling Act (2005).
A graduate in History and Politics from University College Dublin, he was a co founder in 1990 and Chairman in 1991 of the UCD Graduates Association in the UK. He has previously worked in a public relations capacity for Aer Lingus, BUPA, The Ireland Fund, Royal Brunei Airlines, Ladbrokes and Coral bookmakers, and as horse racing correspondent for LBC Radio in London. He is a member of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland, and Juvenile Chairman of Cuala GAA Club.
In 2011 the principal clients of Hartnett Public Relations include leading global sportsbook and betting partner of Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers football clubs 188BET, the UNITE trade union, Coca Cola's Powerade and its multi-award winning 'Never Give Up' campaign, The Irish Greyhound Board, Gaelscoileanna Teoranta, Ocean Harvest Technology and a number of other companies and individuals for whom we like to believe we make a real difference.
Specialties:
Media relations, stakeholder communications, crisis management, betting and gaming consultancy, sports sponsorship, event management, public affairs, corporate reputation, corporate social responsibility
