Foreword

Sam Cork, Global Brand Manager, Gulf Oil International.

The focus of this edition of Orange Disc is "Business Development", both in terms of the new ventures the Gulf brand is moving into and the success stories of the Gulf brand in different parts of the world.

A perfect illustration of this constant development and expansion is the new Gulf Oil Marine Ltd venture. The international marine business is an exciting project that opens up the boundaries of the brand, exposing it to new markets and greater opportunities. Gulf's global network offers an ideal opportunity for Gulf Oil Marine Ltd to make a big splash in the world of marine lubricant supply and service. We are also in the enviable position to have very experienced professionals who are keen to ensure that Gulf Oil Marine will rival all the major international marine lubricants service providers in the years to come.

It has been my good fortune, within a few weeks of joining Gulf, to add my efforts to this already successful brand and to have the chance to further enhance its global presence. Le Mans was a new experience for me and one which opened my eyes to the significance of the relationship between Gulf and motor racing. 40 years ago Gulf won the Le Mans 24 Hours with the Ford GT40 and in 2008 it celebrated this anniversary by winning the GT1 category with the Aston Martin Racing DBR9. For me, the key strength of the relationship with the Aston Martin brand is that it firmly brings the Gulf brand into the present. Whereas the 1968 GT40 win and the Steve McQueen-Porsche era act as the historical prestige of the brand, the new Aston Martin Racing partnership brings the youth and vitality that the representatives of the brand need to succeed today.

During the race weekend and the Gulf Oil International Convention I was fortunate to meet affiliates from across the world and see how the brand is leveraged in unique and exciting ways everywhere. What struck me most was the passion, drive and dynamism that everyone had for the brand, with new projects, new developments and new ideas constantly evolving. This strengthens my belief that the Gulf brand has so much more potential to grow further. Something that also should not be forgotten is that one of the brand's biggest assets is its people. Gulf stakeholders each bring experience and ideas that can be shared with one another and it will be part of my job to encourage this and provide tools and knowledge to make this happen.  My primary focus will be on ensuring that the power of the Gulf brand remains strong through a unified message across all mediums (website, labels, logo and use of the global tag line), enabling the brand to fulfill its potential and the business to keep growing.

I hope you enjoy the issue and I look forward to helping the Gulf brand and its businesses realise their full potential.