By Andrew Warshaw
September 15 – The consultant who spearheaded Sepp Blatter’s media campaign during his recent FIFA presidential election victory has been appointed the organisation’s new communications chief.
Walter De Gregorio will take over as director of communications and public affairs on October 1, replacing Nicolas Maingot who has been doing the job on an interim basis.
The highly respected 46-year-old, a former sports editor and columnist with extensive journalistic experience, was chosen by Blatter to help win the public relations war during the recent election process, aided and abetted by former British newspaper executive Brian Alexander.
It was De Gregorio to whom Blatter gave his first official interview after the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes last December.
The timing of his appointment is no coincidence.
Three weeks after De Gregorio takes over one of the toughest roles in sports administration given FIFA’s current standing, Blatter will unveil the first details of his eagerly awaited plans to fight corruption.
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