CURRICULUM VITAE

Alexander D.H. Ferguson96 Hunt Close, London W11 4JX

Email: alexferguson60@gmail.com Phone: 07852 266 419

Editor-level finance journalist with eight years of experience crafting engaging content in both financial and sports writing with strong aptitude of content marketing across web and social platforms.

JOURNALISTIC EXPERIENCE

August 2005-Present: Paid expert columnist, SkySports.com

Currently writing a weekly column called The View from North America about US sport, which ranges from NASCAR to baseball to US football, as well as contributing regularly to the US sports section

Attended the Super Bowl, college football matches and NASCAR races as a representative of SkySports.com

Raised SkySports.com’s profile among US media and PR personnel as well as online across many platforms

Market various SkySports.com articles though Sky’s social media team, my own Twitter feed, and different Facebook forums, plus Stumbleupon.

Interact with readership when needed.

September 2012 – present: Expert columnist, SportingLife.com

Writing a ‘tips’ and predictions page for all the major US sporting events – particularly focussing on college football, March Madness, and the NBA.

Ensuring copy links together with SkyBet odds Ensure article is marketed via SportingLife’s Twitter feed, and Facebook

pages, as well as SkyBet’s. Interact with readership when needed.

2006- Present: Blogger, The View From North America/ The SEC Football Blog

Writing and editing two blogs on college football Have marketed both blogs via Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and Digg as

well as a connection to large US sports website, Bleacher Report, to produce an uplift in results

Both blogs were started by me.

2010-11: Reports on Social Media while at BSkyB

Presentation on Social media to employees at Sky Promotions

Reported on transmedia and experiential marketing at Sky Creative Provided insight on social media trends to SkySports.com

Copywriting Experience

April 2009-May 2010: Copywriter, Corelogic

Helping to write copy for US property insurance information specialist Helping to advise on marketing

April 2009 – May 2010: Copywriter, Aon Benfield Fac

Writing research articles for UK’s biggest insurance broker

Financial Journalism Experience

June 2010- July 2012: Freelance reporter, Reactions Magazine

Broke exclusive stories for one of the industry’s leading reinsurance magazines

Wrote about different parts of the reinsurance industry including aviation, property and motor.

Created contacts with underwriters, brokers, and other senior people in the industry.

April 2008 – May 2010: Deputy Editor and Contributing News Editor, Reinsurance Magazine

Day-to-day running of the news including daily and weekly email that had on and off-diary stories, as well as commissioning articles

Creating contacts with underwriters, brokers and other senior people in the reinsurance industry

Interviewing chief executives for the magazine, which included a range major US , British and Bermudian insurers

Writing articles and researching features on a variety of subjects including modelling, catastrophe risks, as well as the Cat bond issue

Expanded my knowledge and understanding of the sector.

August 2006 – February 2008: Banks, Insurance and Financials Journalist, Thomson Financial

Working on major M&A stories Interviewing major industry figures including CEOs and analysts Networking with members of the life insurance, non-life insurance and

financials industries Rewriting RNS releases into proper newswire copy and adding angles

March 2004-Dec 2004: Deputy Editor, London Reinsurance News

Wrote up company news for this reinsurance publication and website Interviewed major industry figures Broke stories for the publication and website Networked with insurance company CEOs, analysts and brokers

May 2003- August 2003: Oil and Gas Deputy Editor, Infrastructure Journal

Wrote oil and gas-related content for IJ and its website, ijonline.com Broke project finance –related exclusives thanks to contacts in the legal

industry

January - February 2003: Journalist, Dow Jones Energy Service

Wrote a number of news pieces on the North Sea oil market Learned how to use the Telerate system Updated market numbers and transaction figures 3-4 times a day

Advertising/Marketing Experience

January 2012 – February 2012: Internship, Social Media Team, Mindshare

Helped the team on a wide range of clients Ideation and insight to forthcoming marketing campaigns during

brainstorming sessions Worked with Mindshare’s SEO, media-buying and client relations teams

August 2010 – August 2011: Promotions Manager, Sky Marketing

Devising and helping to deliver promotions alongside all areas of Sky Marketing, including working with agencies to deliver radio ‘tags’ for existing sponsorships with Absolute Radio and talkSPORT

Initiating and delivering an online and radio competition for Team Sky and Sky Player

Idea creation for different Sky promotions

Including secondments at:

June 2011 – August 2011: Sky Creative Strategy Team, Sky Creative

Used my writing experience to prepare research reports on social media and technical and market trends

Brief writing alongside team Helped out on various pitches and including research and idea creation

February 2011 – June 2011: Sky Sports Magazine, Sky

Worked with Sky Sports Magazine on different issues

Developing the ‘Stelling’s Stats Page’ on the site

Skills

10 years’ research, interviewing and professional writing experience Excellent knowledge of social media and different marketing platforms and

trends Knowledge of the financial markets, particularly in equities, and willingness to

learn more Extensive sports knowledge (particularly in all US sports, football, cricket, and

golf), as well as a good knowledge of the film and entertainment industries, and an interest in world affairs

Enthusiasm to learn, and give strategic thinking Familiarity with Word, Excel and QuarkXpress packages, as well as a range of

CMS systems

Education

2004-2006: King College, Bristol, Tennessee, USAAttained a BA in Youth Ministry: 2:1 (Equivalent)

1998-2002: City University, LondonAttained a BA in Journalism: 2:2. Specialism in financial journalism: 2:1

1992-1997: St Edward's School, OxfordAcademic qualifications: 3 A Levels (French, English Literature, Ancient History)

Interests

Sports Business Strategy Youth work Advertising Writing

References

AVAILABLE ON REQUEST