April 12 - General Electric, a TOP Olympic sponsor, has announced that it has bolstered its UK corporate communications efforts ahead of London hosting the 2012 Olympics with two new appointments. 



Mark Maguire, 36, has been appointed in the newly created role of communications director for GE UK.  

He will report to Mark Elborne, the President and chief executive of GE Northern Europe with immediate effect.

Maguire will be responsible for the company’s corporate image and brand identity amongst external stakeholders - in particular through the media.

In addition to media relations he will be responsible for all internal corporate communications, as well as optimising sponsorship and corporate social responsibility opportunities for GE in the UK - in particular GE’s London 2012 Olympics sponsorship.

Maguire joins the corporate team from GE Capital, where for the past three years he has been head of external communications for GE Capital’s UK mortgage division. 

During this time he has managed crisis communications and media relations in a sector which has been subjected to unprecedented political and regulatory scrutiny.

Prior to GE, Maguire worked for some of the UK’s leading brands, including at pioneering internet bank Egg.com for six years where he was latterly head of PR, as well as working for one of Europe’s leading mortgage lenders, Abbey National, now Santander.

In addition, GE UK has also appointed Simon Langford as manager, corporate communications, London 2012 Olympic Games. 

He will be responsible for developing strategic marketing, public affairs and PR campaigns to enhance GE's sponsorship of the Games.  

This key role will support GE’s UK businesses as they aim to support the London 2012 Olympic Games effort. 

He will develop and foster relationships with critical London and Olympic stakeholders, and maximise the promotion of the London Games both internally and externally.

Langford has worked during the last five years in GE Corporate's marketing team, building digital media tools to communicate with audiences around the world, including websites, social media, award-winning advertising campaigns and employee initiatives around Olympic Games activation. 

Prior to GE, Langford worked for the consulting arms of IBM and PwC where he led the European web teams.