About SEF
Why SEF exists
Sponsorship is a significant and growing part of the marketing mix, but it operates without the shared evidence base, measurement standards or recognised effectiveness benchmarks that other marketing disciplines take for granted. Brands invest billions in sponsorship every year, yet the industry still lacks a credible, consistent way to evaluate whether that investment is working.
The Sponsorship Effectiveness Forum was founded in September 2025 to change that. Our purpose is to raise standards in sponsorship effectiveness by developing shared evidence, consistent practice and collaborative learning across rights holders, brands, agencies and researchers.
SEF’s goals are to:
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build and maintain a cross-industry evidence base
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develop the industry’s capability in both the creation and evaluation of effective sponsorship
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promote best practice in sponsorship planning, creative execution, media deployment and channel integration
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support more rigorous outcomes-led decision making
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improve the quality and consistency of sponsorship case studies
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act as a connector between existing industry bodies.
How sponsorship creates effectiveness
SEF recognises that sponsorship generates outcomes through a combination of strategic clarity, commercial negotiation, creative execution, activation planning, media strategy, live experiences, channel integration, and data analysis. Each activity constitutes an area of expertise in and of itself.
SEF brings together strategic, creative and analytical perspectives to understand what makes sponsorship work and how to demonstrate its impact. While fundamental to evaluation, data and research alone do not create effectiveness. They help reveal the scale and nature of the outcomes achieved.
What we do
Research and publications
SEF undertakes and publishes original research on sponsorship effectiveness, beginning with The Sponsorship Effect and expanding through future studies and resources.
Methodologies, standards and case quality
SEF promotes transparent, replicable approaches and works to improve the consistency of sponsorship case studies, data capture and evaluation practice.
Training and capability building
SEF promotes transparent, replicable approaches and works to improve the consistency of sponsorship case studies, data capture and evaluation practice.
Events and working groups
SEF convenes the industry through events and working groups across areas including research and methodology, data standards and case libraries, training and capability, partnerships, and community.
Partnerships with existing bodies
SEF seeks to work with organisations including the IPA, WARC, ESA, Sport Industry Group, the UK Sponsorship Awards and other industry and academic bodies to improve case sharing and effectiveness standards.
Founded by practitioners
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Rory Natkiel
Founder & Chair, SEF
Founder, Box Count
Rory Natkiel is the founding chair of the Sponsorship Effectiveness Forum. His background spans senior agency strategy roles, with work for global brands on projects combining brand planning, sponsorship, and creative strategy, and establishing effectiveness cultures within teams and organisations.
Charlie Dundas
Co-founder, SEF
Founder, GSIQ
Charlie Dundas is Managing Director at GSIQ and brings
extensive experience in data and analytics, including time at YouGov Sport. His expertise spans econometrics, forecasting and the practical use of exposure and behavioural data to understand marketing impact.
Sarah Kendall
Co-founder, SEF
Head of Commercial Partnerships, The Football Association
Sarah has held roles on both the agency side, including as UK MD at Fuse, and the rights-holder side, giving her a broad view of how partnerships are developed and
evaluated. At The FA, she works to deliver long-term brand growth and commercial value for partners.
Rebecca Martin
Branded Sport Director, Sport by Global
Before her recent move to lead Sport by Global, Rebecca ( held senior sponsorship roles at Barclays for many years. She worked across one of the UK’s most established sponsorship portfolios, focusing on how partnerships support brand positioning and long-term
customer outcomes.