Bastien Hibon Leaves Mercedes F1 Team to Join Limelight Sports as Marketing Director

Sport experience agency Limelights Sports has hired Bastien Hibon as Marketing Director following his departure from Mercedes AMG PETRONAS F1 team. 

Hibon has worked in Formula One for 5 years, doctor firstly as Head of Brand for the Honda team, pills then as Marketing Director of BrawnGP which became Mercedes AMG PETRONAS. 

He began work at Limelight Sports in August as Marketing Director where his role will be to develop the proposition of mass participation sport and expand the opportunities for major brands to build associations and partnerships with one of the fastest growing sports sectors. 

Hibon originally trained as a journalist and worked in broadcast for Medialink International and for Ogilvy PR. He then became Creative Director & Head of Communications for Climate Change, Friends of the Earth, where he used mass public engagement to achieve the UK Climate Change Act. 

Limelight Sports has created many of the UK’s highest profile participation sport campaigns and events including the Sainsburys’ Sport Relief Mile and Sky Ride. Limelight Sports also runs Swimathon, the annual national swimming challenge and works with the Royal Parks Foundation to stage a unique half marathon in London.  The agency also owns properties such as Boutique Sport, a women’s only fitness programme and the London Duathlon, the world’s biggest duathlon. 

Commenting on the appointment, Craig Dews, Managing Director of Limelight Sports, said: “It is a major coup for us to attract Bastien away from the glamorous world of Formula One.  It is testimony to both the terrific growth levels in mass participation sport and the reputation of Limelight Sports that he has decided to join us.  His expertise, experience and vision will be absolutely essential in taking the agency and mass participation sport to the next level”. 

Bastien Hibon said: “This has been one of the biggest professional decisions of my life.  Formula One is an unbelievable environment to work in, but I needed to challenge myself in a sector that is still developing and growing and from a marketing perspective offers many new and exciting opportunities for leading brands.  I am extremely excited about the opportunity to build on and develop Limelight’s existing programmes and integrate some new initiatives which will make mass participation events an even more attractive proposition for major brands.”