U2 stars join Fender’s board of directors

U2 stars Bono and The Edge have become directors on the board of legendary guitar company Fender. The Irish rockers will team up with bosses at Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to help them pursue new growth strategies and technologies for the business.
Company co-chairman Mark Fukunaga branded Bono a “visionary in the music world” with the business skills and creativity to improve the business, and he hailed guitarist The Edge as an “innovator of unique sounds through his use of technology”.
The Edge, real name David Evans, says, “(This is) something of a kid in a candy store situation for me. I’ve been a fan of Fender guitars from the beginning, playing them on all the most important U2 tours and albums. But I’m most interested in working with the Fender design team on some new ideas.”
Bono adds, “When a festival-goer wears a Fender t-shirt, they are saying a lot about themselves. They love music, they’re independent-spirited, they’re proud of this truly American company, a nexus of technology and culture which, in the end, can’t be copied no matter how hard the giants try. I’m excited to be part of developing newer technologies with Fender, as well as helping protect the jobs and commitment to excellence of their age-old craft.”