Ross Fisher Named as Genworth Financial's Newest Brand Ambassador

WENTWORTH, England, May 22 /PRNewswire/ --

- With Photo

Leading financial security company Genworth Financial is pleased to announce that European Tour rising star, Ross Fisher, will be unveiled as Genworth Financial's latest Brand Ambassador at the 2008 BMW PGA Championship. He joins an elite set of sports personalities who also act as Genworth Brand Ambassadors including tennis superstars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, and ladies professional golfer Juli Inkster.

Ross' new role as an Ambassador will build upon Genworth's support for the European Tour, which already includes official sponsorship of the Tour's Statistics Programme and local sponsorship of the BMW PGA Championships (UK), the SAS Masters (Sweden) and the Volvo Masters (Spain).

"It's great to be back as sponsor of the Statistics Programme for a second year and great to have Ross onboard," said Bob Brannock, president of Genworth Financial, Europe and Canada. "Ross exemplifies everything about Genworth's 'Think it Possible' culture: He's focused on achievement, performing at the highest level and he has a desire to be a leader in his field."

Ross will perform a number of Ambassador duties for Genworth including participation in the innovative fundraising initiative 'Putts for Charity'. Staged in partnership with BMW at this week's Championship, the initiative will be supported by Genworth Financial's charitable giving arm, the Genworth Foundation.

Said Ross: "I am delighted to be invited to join the Genworth team as a Brand Ambassador, and I am especially excited to be a part of the Putts for Charity initiative. For me, charity is about providing opportunities and support to those who need it most, so it seems apt that we launch this year's programme at Wentworth - the club that gave me the opportunities and support that helped me to get where I am today."

Ross will launch the four-day fundraising event by making a one-putt at the specially constructed green at Wentworth's tented village. The Genworth Foundation will donate GBP5,000 to 'Rainbow Trust' if he is successful, with a further GBP1 being given for each 'one putt' made by the public visiting the 'Putts for Charity' putting area and GBP 2 for every 'one putt' made by the Tour Pros during the BMW PGA Championship.

Genworth Financial will also be supported by GolfAID the European Tour players' charity, through additional players visiting the putting area during the week.

About Genworth Financial

Genworth is a leading financial security company meeting the retirement, lifestyle protection, investment and mortgage insurance needs of more than 15 million customers across 25 countries. In Europe, Genworth partners with banks, brokers, advisers and other financial institutions to develop innovative mortgage insurance, payment protection and other products to suit local markets. For more information, visit http://www.genworth.com

About Rainbow Trust

Rainbow Trust Children's Charity provides practical and emotional support to families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness. 1,000 families are supported each year.

The Trust's two respite houses in Surrey and Northumberland provide a break for the whole family, allowing them to spend precious time together as a family.

Rainbow Trust's Family Support Workers join the family in their own home and are there to provide whatever practical support is needed. They may attend hospital appointments with parents, sit by the bedside of the sick child to give parents a break and take worried siblings out for the day.

Rainbow Trust supports families for as long as they need help - from diagnosis, through the illness and beyond.

http://www.rainbowtrust.org.uk

Note to Editors:

A picture/s accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.