Roberts & Partners is a renowned name in the realm of sports and marketing consultancy, as well as event planning and services. Established in 2008 by David Roberts, a stalwart with over 40 years of invaluable experience in the industry, the company boasts an impressive track record of achievements and contributions.

David Roberts’ legacy extends back to the inception of the Great North Run in 1981, where he played a pivotal role as one of the founding members, overseeing the start of the race which saw over 12,000 runners cross the line. His tenure as Sponsorship Manager, and then New Business Director, from 1989 to 2008 marked a milestone in sports history with the forging of enduring partnerships, including the landmark collaboration between the Great North Run and Bupa, spanning an impressive 22 years – one of the longest relationships in sporting history. Notably, his strategic negotiations also secured deals with industry giants such as Coca Cola UK, catalysing the nationwide phenomenon of the ‘Great Run’ series. This led to a development of relationships with location partners in areas such as Portsmouth, Manchester, Yorkshire, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Gateshead and South Tyneside. During his time with Nova, he was also responsible for negotiations with BBC Sport, Tesco and Compaq/HP.

Prior to his tenure at Nova International, David Roberts spearheaded Nike’s introduction into the UK market as the European Line Manager, working closely with some of the greatest athletes, musicians and renowned personalities of this generation, to garner endorsements for the Nike label. During his time there he oversaw the opening of Nike UK’s first ever London office, expanding Nike’s dominance in the street/fashion market, working with the likes of Sting, Phil Collins, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Steve Cram, Frank Bruno plus many more.

Other notable milestones include – devising and implementing the marketing strategy to take Durham County Cricket Club from a minor to a major – his spin ship strategy and delivery helped in the development of the first-class facilities at the Chester Le Street ground, which is now a renowned test venue. Assisted in the foundation of the first ever World Half Marathon Championships in partnership with the IAAF and The Great North Run. Developed the Sponsorship Strategy to represent England’s bid to stage the Ryder Cup at Slaley Hall Northumberland.

Leveraging this wealth of experience, he founded Roberts & Partners as a family-run enterprise, specialising in sports and marketing consultancy, and event planning services. The company’s portfolio showcases an array of notable accomplishments, including the establishment of prominent sporting events like The Kielder Marathon & 10K, Sunderland City Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K, and Worcester City 10k.

However, what truly sets Roberts & Partners apart is its pioneering role in academia, notably with the formulation of prestigious conferences in the UK, creating both the International Sport Science & Sports Medicine Conference and the International Sport & Exercise Nutrition Conference. The ISSSMC ran from 2012 to 2020 and was one of Europe’s leading Sport and Exercise Nutrition Conferences, working alongside the IOC Diploma. Similarly, the ISENC Conference was founded in 2012 and continues to run annually. Once again working alongside the IOC Diploma, ISENC is regarded as Europe’s Leading Sport & Exercise Nutrition Conferences. It brings together leading academic speakers, from all over the world, and over 300 Delegates from the largest sporting institutions from over 40 different Countries. Previous partnerships in both ISSSMC and ISENC include PepsiCo (current sponsor for the past 10 years) and Coca Cola Nutritional Research Team.