Phil Baker appointed FIM Commercial Director

MotoGP rider manager Phil Baker has been appointed as the FIM's new Commercial Director.

Crash.net viewers will also be familiar with Phil through his Baker's Dozen features for this website, in which he answers 13 questions from within the MotoGP paddock.

The full statement by the FIM can be seen below:

"The FIM is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Commercial Director, Philip Baker. Philip will take up his post on 2 September. He will be in charge of the development and implementation of the FIM's business strategy to maximise revenues through sale of Sponsorship and Media Rights worldwide.

"Philip, who is British, has spent the last 23 years in the world of motor sports. He started out working for Nissan Motorsports as their commercial manager, coordinating the marketing initiatives linked to their British rally championship and their Le Mans sports car programme. He also worked at Ford Motor Company in the World Rally programme with a number of world champions, among them Carlos Sainz, Colin Mcrae, Tommy Makinen, Juha Kankkunen, Ari Vatanen and Petter Solberg. During this period he also worked with the Stewart Formula One team on projects with racers such as Johnny Herbert, Eddie Irvine, Rubens Barrichello and Jan Magnussen.

"In 2000, Philip moved to the United States to work on a Le Mans Sports car project before moving to the Indy car team set up by former Ferrari F1 driver Stefan Johanssen with Ryan Hunter Reay and Jimmy Vasser.

"In 2003 Philip moved into the Motorcycling world, managing athletes. Over the last decade he has worked with legendary American Grand Prix World Champions Kenny Roberts Sr and Jr, Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson and Kevin Schwantz. He was also Nicky Hayden's manager during the period of his world championship winning season.

"In 2010, Philip set up his own management company looking after three-times AMA champion and FIM Superbike World champion, Ben Spies.

"St?phane Desprez FIM CEO expressed his satisfaction: "I am very pleased to welcome Philip Baker into the FIM's management staff as Commercial Director and I am convinced that his past experience in motor sports will help the FIM to pursue the development of its business strategy.""