Global Head of Sport & Entertainment at WPP — on trading the football pitch for boardrooms, negotiating over $1 billion in sports investments, building authentic partnerships with the NFL, UEFA, F1, NBA and IOC, and turning passion into purpose
Want to grow your brand with video marketing?Check our services →Global Head of Sport & Entertainment at WPP, the world's largest advertising group — a career built on knowing when to leave, first the football pitch, then finance, and following conviction even when the destination was unclear
Over 20 years he has negotiated $1 billion+ in sports investments and built partnerships with the NFL, UEFA, F1, NBA and IOC; he is also an author, investor, and leading voice in women's football and athlete marketing
We've never lived in a better time for an athlete other than LeBron and Rich Paul or Maverick Carter, these guys that he has, you know, he has around him or Kevin Durant with Rich Kimman or Steph Curry or Serena Williams. What you see is that the most forward-thinking, innovative athletes are creating a small ecosystem around themselves. They're not part of a big roster of talent. What they want is the best business, media, marketing people around them. And the reality is if they do that well, they can become and they are billion-dollar businesses in their own right.
I think it's much more important to really lean into your strength because all of us — I believe that all of us have something that is unique to us, particular skill sets or particular characteristics um that are let's just call it your sort of your superpower right when you are doing that thing you are better at that than most of the other people that you're around.
My biggest advice is take it easy on yourself. Our success and our journey is really determined by our frame of mind and how we think. Don't get too high about the highs. Don't get too low about the lows and just, you know, put one foot in front of the other.
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