Fuse appoints Matt Bailey as Managing Partner

Fuse, the global sport and entertainment marketing agency, today announced the appointment of Matt Bailey as Managing Partner within its Rights Consultancy division. Bailey joins the agency on 10th November 2025 and will report into Lucy Basden-Smith, becoming part of the Fuse Executive Leadership Team.

A seasoned sports marketing professional with over 20 years’ experience, Bailey joins Fuse from Octagon, where he most recently served as Head of Brand Partnerships. During his 14 years with the agency, he worked across a world-class roster of brands including the likes of Amazon, Cisco, UPS and Sony.

Throughout his career, Bailey has played a key role in securing, renewing and delivering partnership strategies with some of the world’s leading rightsholders such as the UEFA, The FA, NBA, ICC, ECB, LTA, Real Madrid, Liverpool FC, City Football Group and Arsenal FC.

At Fuse, Bailey will lead a client republic within the Rights Consultancy division, overseeing a portfolio of high-value accounts and driving strategic guidance, commercial leadership and operational excellence. In addition, Bailey will play a central role in the agency’s commercial growth, contributing to new business efforts, product development initiatives and leadership forums that shape the agency’s direction. While his core expertise lies in sport, Bailey will also be instrumental in expanding Fuse’s footprint across the entertainment space, identifying opportunities at the intersection of sport, music, fashion and culture.

Bailey’s appointment reinforces Fuse’s commitment to being “culturally connected and seriously effective”, ensuring the agency continues to deliver work powered by cultural intelligence with effectiveness at the core, delivering measurable impact through strategic creativity and data-led insight.

Commenting on his appointment, Matt Bailey said:

“In a fragmented marketplace, the brands that break through are the ones that connect to culture – showing up where interests thrive, not just where impressions are bought. Fuse stands apart in its ability to translate these interests into authentic brand experiences. As a Managing Partner within Rights Consultancy, my priority will be ensuring relationships that advance our ability to connect brands to moments that matter most, turning cultural relevance into measurable business impact.”

Louise Johnson, Global CEO at Fuse, added:

“Matt’s deep experience across sport, his strategic and commercial mindset, and his reputation for building trusted client relationships make him an exceptional addition to the Fuse leadership team. He brings not only world-class expertise, but also the collaborative and forward-thinking approach that will help drive our agency’s next chapter of growth.”

Prior to joining Octagon, Bailey began his career at IMG before moving to Leo Burnett, where he worked on McDonald’s global sports sponsorship portfolio. Over the course of his career, he has been involved in multiple award-winning campaigns, including recognition at the Sports Industry Awards and European Sponsorship Awards.

Fuse is a global sport and entertainment agency offering marketing and commercial services for brands and rights holders. It has offices in the UK, Europe, the Americas and Asia with over 400 employees internationally, recently opening hubs in Spain, India and Brazil. Its global CEO is Louise Johnson – one of Sports Leaders Under 40 and last year’s Jury President of the Entertainment Lions for Sport at Cannes Lions. Current international clients include PepsiCo, Vodafone, Nissan and Philips. Fuse’s work has been recognised across industry leading awards including Cannes, The Sports Industry Awards and the UK Sponsorship Awards.