Stephanie Zambra (née Roche), star striker for Ireland and Shamrock Rovers, has today launched her ambassadorship for Lockton, the world’s largest privately owned insurance broker.
Stephanie is one of the most recognizable faces in women’s sport and was busy working for RTE covering the World Cup in Australia over the summer. She shot to stardom with her incredible goal in 2013 which led her to be nominated for FIFA goal of the year, appearing alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2014 FIFA Ballon D’or Awards and becoming the first woman ever to be nominated in the Top 3 of that category, finishing runner up with over 1.2 million votes. Stephanie has played football in England, America and Italy, has made over 50 appearances for Ireland and is currently playing for Shamrock Rovers Ladies in the League of Ireland. She also runs coaching academies for boys and girls around the country to develop their football skills.
While her famous goal certainly announced Stephanie on a global scale, it has also been identified as a catalyst for heightened interest in the Irish game and women’s sport in Ireland. Stephanie was one of the first women to demand better standards and working conditions for the Ireland Ladies Team back in 2017 and she has been a pioneer of women’s football over the past ten years, to the point that has seen the women’s game explode in terms of its popularity and its quality.
At the launch of the Brand Ambassador role, Lockton confirmed Stephanie will help Lockton Ireland to celebrate the business’ key milestones in the coming months.
Gary Ennis, Partner and Chairman at Lockton, said: “Lockton is proud to be a privately owned global company based on family values and a strong work ethic. Since we first met her, Stephanie has embodied those same values and there is already fantastic synergy with our Team. Throughout her career Stephanie has worked tirelessly to be the best at what she does, she has consistently shown that the team comes first and has inspired those around her. These are all qualities that resonate with Lockton. Lockton is also fully committed to being part of our local community and again this sits well with Stephanie and her own soccer camps and community work.
Throughout the year, Stephanie will be promoting Lockton and our initiatives through social media and trade interviews, she will be attending company events and generally be available to assist us in generating awareness of our brand nationally.”
Niall O’Callaghan, CEO of Lockton Ireland, commented: “We are incredibly excited to work with Stephanie as we continue to evolve our business in Ireland. We are delighted to build our association with Stephanie, someone who represents Ireland and women in sport with such passion and energy reflective of the Lockton values”
Stephanie Zambra said: “I am delighted to represent Lockton as its brand ambassador. As a privately owned, family run company, Lockton have an extremely strong work ethic as well as providing equal opportunities for all of their staff. Their clear commitment to enhancing the profile of women in sport and business is a matter that is close to my heart. As a society, we have made significant progress in recent years, but there is still a long way to go to break down the barriers which hinder access for women. Lockton has invested significantly in understanding and overcoming those barriers, so I look forward to working together.”