Pareto signs for cricket star

Pareto Financial Planning has announced a sponsorship deal with England and Lancashire cricket star Haseeb Hameed.

The Manchester-based company is now Hameed’s back-of-the-bat sponsor, meaning the firm’s logo will appear on the back of his bat for the rest of the summer.

The Bolton-born cricketer, 20, is expected to feature in test matches for England against South Africa and the West Indies in the coming months, as well as appearing in multiple formats for Lancashire.

Hameed said: “It’s also great to be associated with a local company, as I’m a local lad who is proud to have represented both Lancashire and England at such an early stage in my career.

“I’m really grateful to Pareto’s John Stevenson and George Chantry for their support.”

Hameed has seen his profile rocket due to the rapid nature of his leap from club cricket, to county cricket and subsequently playing for England.

His test match debut against India made him the youngest debutant to open for England in a test and his further half-century in the same match made him only the third youngest England batsmen to reach 50 runs.

“Things have happened quite quickly for me,” said Hameed. “But while I take things a step-at-a-time I think you have got to enjoy it. Twelve months ago, I was a young lad making my first step into my first full season in first class cricket. Thankfully things went well and I got the call up to the England squad.

“Now, I just want to continue being the same person as I was last year, to stay true to myself and hopefully continue to do the things that got me into the England squad last year.”

Pareto FP advises high net worth business owners, entrepreneurs and corporate businesses on all areas of financial planning with more than £500m assets under management. The £4m turnover company was founded nine years ago and now employs 34 people.

Pareto managing director and co-founder John Stevenson said the individual sponsorship of Hameed signalled a new move for the firm.

Stevenson said: “Haseeb is a perfect brand ambassador for us. He is professional, focused and an ambitious young local lad who I’m sure will go on to have a fantastic career in the game.

He added: “It’s a very exciting time for us. Haseeb’s past has been at Bolton School, which we have links with as the school is also a client of ours.

“We are looking forward to working with him over the coming months and years, helping him to grow while supporting him along his journey.”

Pareto co-founder George Chantry’s son attends Bolton School, where Hameed began his cricketing career.

Chantry said: “We are very proud to be supporting Haseeb as he is a great role model to young people in Bolton and beyond.

“Bolton is also an important area to us as a company and we are proud to be associated with a local lad with so much ambition and talent.”