Marco Albregts

One Inch Sports BV
NETHERLANDS
Owner

LinkedIn

I’ve sat on every side of the sponsorship table — rightsholder, agency, brand and federation — and each seat taught me something the others couldn’t.
At N.E.C. Nijmegen I ran commercial through a relegation year At Lagardère Sports I drove agency-side growth across multiple rightsholders and brands heading multiple sales teams and doing international Business Development. At BetCity I built a brand’s sponsorship department from nothing; strategy, rights, ROI. At the KNCB I led main sponsor sales and activation for the ODI and T20 Cricket World Cups, selling a federation’s biggest moment on a calendar that wasn’t waiting for anyone.

Now, as CCO/founder at One Inch Sports, that cross-seat view with international experience in Europe (east and west), Latin America, Middle East and India is the whole proposition and exactly what I’d bring to the judging room.

Michael Asmelash

Live Nation
UK
Sr Director Marketing & Creative Solutions, EMEA

LinkedIn

Michael Asmelash is a global marketing + partnerships leader with over a decade of experience building strategic, commercially impactful partnerships across entertainment, media, tech and culture.

Currently, Michael serves as Senior Director, EMEA Marketing + Creative Solutions at Live Nation Entertainment, where he develops sponsorship marketing solutions connecting leading brands with opportunities across Live Nation’s portfolio, from live entertainment to digital, across EMEA.

His career spans integrated marketing and partnership marketing roles across Snap Inc., Meta and NBCUniversal, as well as experience in global creative services at Calvin Klein. Throughout his career, Michael has worked at the intersection of brand, culture and entertainment – developing integrated marketing strategies, creator and talent-led sponsorship programmes, and partnership platforms that deliver meaningful value for audiences and brands.

David Atkinson

Space
UK
Managing Partner

LinkedIn

I am Managing Partner of Space, a creative agency specialising in sport and entertainment. The agency I founded is now 23 years old and has worked with rights holders & sponsor brands throughout this time to conceive, design and amplify campaigns that help build the association between brands and their investments.

In addition, we help rights holders to find new audiences and grow their reach. We have worked with the likes of Wimbledon, NBA, UEFA, and the Bundesliga, but also with Haagen-Dazs, Heineken, Lavazza and Samsung among others to develop brand-enhancing campaigns and activations.

We believe in creativity as the defining factor in commercial success and approach each brief with an idea-first mentality.

Salem Badughaish

Six Flags & Aquarabia Qiddiya city
SAUDI ARABIA
Corporate Alliances Manager

LinkedIn

Salem Badughaish is a commercial partnerships and sponsorship professional with over 15 years of experience across sports, entertainment, and banking. He is passionate about helping organisations build meaningful partnerships that create long-term value and drive innovation.

Salem holds a Master’s degree in Sport Management from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and is a member of the European Sponsorship Association (ESA). Throughout his career, he has contributed to sponsorship strategy, business development, and industry thought leadership, with a strong interest in advancing best practices within the sponsorship sector.

He is pleased to support the European Sponsorship Association as a judge and contribute to recognising excellence and innovation across the industry.

Delphine Baise

Spring Yellow
BELGIUM
Founder

LinkedIn

“Delphine Baise created Spring Yellow in 2023 around a simple belief: expertise becomes even more valuable when it is shared, challenged and put to work with others.

With 25 years of experience in sponsorship and events in Belgium, she has built a 360° understanding of the industry. Her career has been largely shaped by the financial sector, including her role as Head of Sponsorships and Events at ING Belgium, alongside collaborations with many other leading brands. Today, she advises brands and organisers on how to make their sponsorship strategies more relevant, impactful and valuable.

Curiosity and optimism are at the heart of the way she works. She enjoys bringing the right people together, creating positive energy and turning ambitious ideas into meaningful projects — always guided by respect and authenticity.

What drives her in sponsorship? Building bridges between people, brands and projects. Going the extra mile. And playing her part in making the Belgian and European sponsorship landscape more ambitious and more inspiring.”

Stephanie Bell

Mercedes-Benz Ireland
IRELAND
Head of Marketing

LinkedIn

With 18 years’ experience in senior marketing and commercial roles, I have built a broad career spanning multiple sectors, markets and global businesses. This has given me a diverse perspective on how brands can use marketing, partnerships and sponsorship to create meaningful connections with audiences and, importantly, deliver measurable business growth.

I am a strong believer in the strategic role sponsorship can play beyond brand awareness as a powerful platform for driving commercial objectives, building brand equity, engaging customers and creating long-term value for businesses and their partners.

My own work in sponsorship has been recognised through a Highly Commended European Sponsorship Association (ESA) Award, as well as an AIM Award, with the winning entry subsequently selected as Ireland’s National Winner and entry into the European Sponsorship Association Awards.

Lillian Betty

SMG
UK
Head of Corporate Relationships

LinkedIn

Lillian Betty is Head of Corporate Relationships at the Science Museum Group, where she leads strategic partnerships with major national and international organisations, generating significant support for exhibitions, public programmes and educational initiatives.

With over a decade of experience in corporate partnerships, sponsorship and business development across the cultural and creative sectors, she has secured and managed high-value collaborations with leading global brands, philanthropies and innovators.

Lillian is recognised for her ability to build long-term relationships, identify opportunities for innovation and bring together diverse stakeholders around ambitious shared goals.

Sarah Boswell

Wales Netball
UK
Chief Executive Officer

LinkedIn

Sarah Boswell is an experienced executive leader with a career spanning elite sport, arts and culture across the UK, Australia and New Zealand. She is currently CEO of Wales Netball and Welsh Dragons, leading the national governing body and professional franchise through a period of significant transformation, growth and renewed commercial ambition.

Her career has included senior leadership roles across professional sport, national and regional cultural organisations, government and the not-for-profit sector, with particular expertise in strategy, partnerships, commercial development, governance and major events.

Sarah is also a Council Member of the Arts Council of Wales, where she chairs the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, and serves on the Board of Cymru Women’s Sport.

Passionate about the power of sport to create social and commercial impact, Sarah brings a broad perspective to judging, combining leadership, partnership and brand experience with a strong commitment to women’s sport and its continued growth.

Ailish Boyle

Bord Gais Energy
IRELAND
Snr Marketing Manager

LinkedIn

Ailish Boyle is a Snr Marketing Manager at Bord Gáis Energy, where she leads the company’s sponsorship and partnership marketing strategy, including the long-standing and award-winning partnership with the GAA. She oversees the development and delivery of integrated sponsorship campaigns that connect brand, community and commercial objectives, leading cross-functional teams and agency partners to maximise impact and value from major rights-holder relationships.

Ailish previously served as a judge for the ESA Awards in 2025 and was part of the team recognised with the All Ireland Marketing Award for Best Advertising Campaign in April 2026. She is passionate about the power of sponsorship to create meaningful connections with audiences and enjoys supporting and celebrating excellence across the industry.

Alexandra Branzan

WeAreFearless
UK
Executive Strategy Director

LinkedIn

I’ve built a career around my favourite 3 Ps: Problems – defining and solving them for clients, People – finding better ways to understand what levers to pull to motivate and influence them, Processes – finding better ways of working that achieve better results (from organisational design to workflow processes).

I have spent the last six years at Fearless helping companies connect more meaningfully with their audiences through sponsorship, leading strategy at various altitudes, from property identification to activation platform development and all the way through integrated campaign planning and effectiveness measurement.

In my time at Fearless, I’ve led the strategy for award-winning work across a variety of categories and rights-holders: Bridgestone and the Olympic Games, Hays & Manchester City, TeamViewer – MAMG Formula One Team & Manchester United, Visa and UEFA Women’s Football, GetPRO and the London Marathon, Royal London & British and Irish Lions Women’s Team, Howden & British and Irish Lions Women’s Tour, etc.

Will Brookwell

Run Deep
UK
Creative Director

LinkedIn

Will Brookwell is CD at Run Deep, bringing over a decade of award-winning expertise to the agency’s fan-first mission. Will joined the Mother-backed agency from AMV BBDO, having previously spearheaded campaigns at Saatchi & Saatchi, R/GA, and JWT, specialising in weaving brands into the cultural fabric of sports and entertainment, delivering high-impact, conversation-starting ideas.

Driven by a passion for authenticity and tech innovation, Will has been the creative force behind some of the industry’s most celebrated campaigns. His achievements include assembling a superstar football team to combat hate for BT Hope United, creating apps for the visually impaired (Listerine), building human-powered football pitches in Brazilian favelas (Shell), and capturing fan culture for Guinness’s Premier League partnership.

His work has been widely recognised on the global stage, earning numerous accolades across Cannes Lions, D&AD, British Arrows, Creative Circle, and Campaign BIG. Will is also a co-founder of Shoot-ball.

Nikki Burgess

NZ Breakers
NEW ZEALAND
General Manager, Commercial

LinkedIn

Nikki Burgess is a senior commercial and marketing leader with 20 years’ experience delivering high-profile sponsorships across New Zealand, Australia, the UK and globally. Her career spans leading brand, rights-holder and agency roles across basketball, rugby, netball and Formula 1.

Neil Callaghan

20-Fifteen SPORT
UK
Director (Founder)

LinkedIn

Neil has been a regular ESA Awards judge applying extensive sponsorship and partnership marketing experience gained from working with leading brands and rights holders in sport and entertainment sectors.  Covering global and local strategy, commercial development and full-service activation of sponsorships from grassroots to elite level in male and female, disabled and non-disabled sports formats and initiatives.

He created 20-Fifteen SPORT with a focus on harnessing the value of disability inclusion and accessibility, through the power of sport, sponsorship and partnership marketing. Working with clients including Paralympics GB, Special Olympics GB, Motability Operations, and The Wheelchair Football Association.

Beyond the day-job Neil has written course material for the ESA Diploma, co-created TAGS (The Ability Group in Sport) and is a Trustee of EDGA golf.

Paddy Carberry

Diageo
IRELAND
Guinness Global Marketing Manager, Sport

LinkedIn

Paddy Carberry is the Head of Sports for the Guinness brand globally. Having joined the Diageo business 8 years ago, Paddy has worked across Diageo roles including leading rugby, football and horse racing as well many entertainment platforms for the business across the UK and Ireland.

Paddy was integral to landing the global deal for Guinness and the Premier League, and works with over 80 Guinness marketing teams across the world to bring this partnership to life, as well as the Guinness Men’s and Women’s Six Nations, football partnerships with Arsenal, Aston Villa and Newcastle, as well as rugby partnerships with the four home unions. Prior to joining Diageo, Paddy worked at Vodafone Ireland in their sponsorship team, leading rugby and entertainment platforms.

Paddy is a journalism and business graduate of Dublin City University and of the European Sponsorship Association and is a proud Gaelic speaker from Ireland.

Matteo Ciampani

AS Roma
ITALY
Partnership Management Lead

LinkedIn

Matteo works as Partnership Management Lead at AS Roma, managing a portfolio of global partners and the development of commercial opportunities.

Before joining the Italian football club in 2022, Matteo worked at the Italian National Olympic Committee, in Germany as a member of the International Paralympic Committee’s commercial team, and in England at Everton Football Club, ideating, planning and executing award-nominated campaigns and activations.

Sport Management graduate from Coventry University (UK), he achieved the status of top ESA Diploma Graduate 2020 – the first ever from a rights holder and Premier League club to do so – becoming the recipient of the “Toby Hester Award” at the European Sponsorship Association Awards 2021, and served as a judge for five consecutive editions since 2022.

He believes it is important for organisations in the sponsorship industry to lead on causes and do their part in today’s world, creating unforgettable moments and value for society, changing people’s lives.

Tim Cook

Ear To The Ground
UK
Senior Creative Director

LinkedIn

Award-winning Creative Director with 13 years of experience shaping global campaigns across sport, culture, and entertainment. Currently leading creative at Ear to the Ground – following senior roles at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment and WPP delivering major sponsorships for UEFA, UCI, and the World Rally Championship.

From pitch to production, my work spans platforms, countries, and communities – always driven by the belief that the best creative doesn’t interrupt culture, it belongs to it.

Driven by the belief that brilliant creative belongs in culture rather than interrupting it, I turn strategic insights into bold, fame-driving ideas.

Lorna Danaher

Energia
IRELAND
Sponsorship & Events Manager

LinkedIn

I am an experienced sponsorship and events professional with over a decade in marketing and more than seven years specialising in sponsorship strategy, activation and partnership management.

As Sponsorship & Events Manager at Energia, I oversee major partnerships including the IRFU, Leinster Rugby, Connacht Rugby and the Energia All-Ireland League, with past experience working on cultural initiatives such as Get Ireland Growing and Seachtain na Gaeilge.

I am keenly focused on creating impactful, purpose-led programmes that deliver both commercial and community value.

Claire Drummond

Cricket Scotland
UK
Commercial and Partnerships Manager

LinkedIn

I am passionate about sport and enjoy the opportunity to learn from and contribute to the industry from a range of perspectives. My career has spanned golf, cycling and cricket, with experience across sponsor-side, rights holder and governing body organisations.

Recently, I worked with Team Scotland as part of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, gaining a different perspective on a major sporting event and the opportunity to celebrate Scottish sport, athletes and supporters.

Alongside my professional career, I sit on the Board of a governing body, supporting the strategy and governance of a growing sport in Scotland. I am also a member of a governing body as a player and serve on the committee of my sports club.

These experiences give me a broad understanding of sport at different levels. I enjoy sharing learnings and best practice across sports and am passionate about helping organisations and sports in Scotland develop, grow and thrive.

Gabriela Duch

Visa- CEMEA
UAE
Head of Sponsorships

LinkedIn

Gabriela Duch is Head of Sponsorships at Visa, leading the strategy, management, and activation of Visa’s global and regional sponsorship portfolio across Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.

With more than 17 years of experience in sports and entertainment marketing, she has worked across rights holders, agencies, and global brands, building expertise in commercial partnerships, talent management, fan engagement, and major event delivery.

Throughout her career, Gabriela has contributed to some of the world’s most recognizable sports properties, including the FIFA World Cup™, Olympic and Paralympic Games, NFL, WTA, ATP, and Grand Slam tennis events. Prior to joining Visa, she held leadership roles at IMG and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

Fluent in multiple languages and experienced across more than 30 markets, she brings a global perspective and a passion for developing meaningful partnerships that drive business, brand, and community impact.

Fergus Dunn

Oak View Group
SPAIN
Commercial Director

LinkedIn

An experienced and strategic sponsorship professional as well as ex-international athlete, Fergus has spent over 15 years working with some of the biggest brands in Sport and Entertainment.

Building his career in London before moving to Barcelona, he has successfully led both partnership sales and activation teams for a diverse variety of properties, working both agency and rights holder side.

Fergus joined Oak View Group in early 2025 as Commercial Director, and works in their global partnerships team with a particular focus on Spain & Southern Europe.

Racha ElDeeb

Elevate MENA
UAE
Head of Intelligence

LinkedIn

I am Head of Intelligence at Elevate (formerly RISE Group), specialising in sponsorship strategy, valuation, measurement and consumer insights across the Middle East.

Based in Dubai, I work with rights holders, brands and government entities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the wider region, helping them understand the value and impact of sponsorship and make more informed partnership decisions.

My 10+ years of experience spans both agency and consulting environments, working across a broad range of sports, entertainment and cultural properties. I bring together audience intelligence, market research and commercial analysis to inform sponsorship strategies and measurement frameworks.

I hold an MBA in Sports Management and a Master’s degree in Finance from Paris Dauphine University. Having worked across France, Canada and the Middle East, I bring an international perspective alongside a strong commercial analytical background and a genuine passion for the evolving sponsorship industry.

Valentina Erčulj Džuban

Atlantic Droga Kolinska d.o.o.
SLOVENIA
Sponsorship Strategy Manager

LinkedIn

I am a sponsorship and brand strategy professional with more than a decade of experience in sports marketing. Since 2021, I have led sponsorship strategy for Argeta, Atlantic Grupa’s flagship brand, using partnerships to drive business growth and create positive social impact across European markets. Projects under my leadership have received several prestigious industry recognitions, including ESA, SPORTO, EFFIE and other awards.

Before joining Atlantic Grupa, I developed and managed sponsorship programmes at Petrol, including Winning Serve for EUROVolley 2019, which received Best in Europe Bronze at the 2020 European Sponsorship Awards.

I hold the ESA Diploma in Sponsorship, regularly speak at industry conferences and professional events, and served on the SPORTO Awards jury in 2024. Throughout my career, I have focused on creating effective sponsorship platforms that deliver measurable results and meaningful value for brands, athletes, fans and communities.

Olivia Erwin

Surrey County Cricket Club / MI London
UK
Head of Partnerships

LinkedIn

Ollie is a sports partnerships professional with over seven years’ experience across agency and rights-holder, specialising in partnership strategy, commercial sales and the delivery of high-impact partnerships with global brands.

Previously at Pitch Marketing Group, Ollie worked with a range of brands including Pokémon, TAG Heuer and Uber Eats. Her current role is Head of Partnerships at Surrey County Cricket Club and The Kia Oval, overseeing partnerships across Surrey’s Men & Women, the MI London Hundred franchise and the wider Kia Oval venue.

Leading the Partnerships team, Ollie manages the Club’s commercial partnership portfolio with a focus on driving revenue, commercial growth and creating long-term value for both partners and the venue.

Recognised as one of the Sports Industry 30 Under 30 Class of 2025, Ollie was also selected for the ICC’s global 100% Future Leaders programme in the 2024/2025 cohort, which aims to increase female leadership within cricket.

Niamh Ferguson

Golf Ireland
IRELAND
Sponsorship and Marketing Manager

LinkedIn

I’m a sponsorship and brand marketing professional with over eight years’ experience building brands through strategic partnerships, sponsorship and integrated campaigns across Ireland and international markets, with a particular focus on sport.

At Glanbia, I led Optimum Nutrition’s sponsorship strategy in Ireland, securing and activating partnerships with the IRFU, Leinster Rugby and GAA/GPA, alongside a portfolio of elite athletes across multiple sporting disciplines. I also delivered local activation of the brand’s global McLaren Formula 1 partnership and worked across international athlete partnerships and campaigns.

Previously, at AIB, I worked across award-winning integrated brand campaigns spanning the bank’s priority business areas, including Sponsorship, Homes, Business and Youth. I now bring this experience to Golf Ireland as Sponsorship and Marketing Manager. I’m passionate about sponsorship’s ability to connect brands with culture and create work that combines strategic thinking, creativity and commercial impact.

Kate FitzGerald

Grooveyard
IRELAND
Head of Strategy

LinkedIn

I am a multi-award-winning senior strategic sponsorship, communications and activations specialist with more than 20 years’ experience working with some of the world’s biggest brands. I have expertise spanning consumer, sports and entertainment related sponsorship working across Irish and international sports, brands and festivals.

I am creative, curious, energetic and particularly interested in the powerful intersection between brands, sponsorship, and culture to deliver tangible business outcomes. Activations that change how people think, and feel, demonstrating the profound affinity impacts our work can deliver.

I’m passionate about sponsorship’s power to drive social good, its capacity to unite and its potential to connect with broad audiences beyond core fans to deliver meaningful impact. My experience includes; Guinness Six Nations, Union Cup, #NeverSettle for Women’s Six Nations, AIB #TheToughest, Carlsberg Football Liverpool FC, UEFA EURO 2020, the 148 Open Championship, Carlsberg Cat Laughs and Riverfest Limerick.

Jackie Fitzsimons

Horse Racing Ireland
IRELAND
Sponsorship and Partnership Manager

LinkedIn

Jackie is Sponsorship and Partnership Manager for Horse Racing Ireland Racecourses, representing Leopardstown, Fairyhouse, Navan and Tipperary Racecourses. She currently manages group partners across the racecourses overseeing the key sponsorship and commercial relationships.

With 13′ years experience working within the horse racing industry, an industry she is hugely passionate about, Jackie has developed expertise across sponsorship, commercial partnerships, event activation and relationship management.

Throughout her career, Jackie has worked closely with brands to develop successful and engaging sponsorship programmes, with a strong understanding of how to create meaningful partnerships that deliver value for both the brand and racegoer.

Her experience across multiple racecourses gives her a broad perspective on the role of sponsorship in creating memorable experiences, building strong brand connections and delivering commercial results.

Christian Fizia

Two Circles
UK
Lead Consultant

LinkedIn

Christian is a Lead Consultant at Two Circles, where he works at the intersection of sport, entertainment and data, advising clients on commercial strategy and long-term value creation. He combines commercial strategy, data and insights to help brands and rights holders make informed decisions on growing audiences and revenues across sponsorship programs and major stadium projects.

Christian’s experience spans the full sponsorship lifecycle, from strategy development, valuation and negotiation through to performance measurement and optimisation. His career journey includes insight and data roles at Kindred (Unibet), YouGov Sport and Sportcal, giving him a broad perspective across brands, rights holders and the wider sponsorship industry.

In 2023, Christian was named the European Sponsorship Association Diploma Top Student, achieving one of the highest scores in the qualification’s history.

Eva Gerritse

Blauw Sponsorship Impact
NETHERLANDS
Strategy Lead

LinkedIn

Eva Gerritse leads Blauw Sponsorship Impact, a European consultancy specialising in sponsorship research and effectiveness measurement. She helps brands, rights holders and sports organisations maximise the value of their sponsorship investments through research-driven insights and strategic advice.

Over the past decade, Eva has advised international brands including Amazon, PepsiCo, Nissan, FedEx and Vodafone, and worked on sponsorships linked to major properties such as F1, UEFA competitions, FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. Her expertise spans sponsorship effectiveness, fan engagement, brand impact and activation performance.

Recognised for translating complex data into actionable business strategies, Eva is passionate about advancing standards in sponsorship measurement. She was named Insights Professional of the Year in the Netherlands and serves on the board of SponsorRingen, the leading sponsorship awards programme in the Netherlands, helping to promote excellence, innovation and best practices across the industry.

Rana Ghosal

Synergy TTL Sports
INDIA
Founder

LinkedIn

A sports marketing professional with an advertising and marketing background with 22+ years’ experience specialising in activations & experiential marketing. As a head of the activations in a top global advertising agency, my brand campaigns have generated desired results and won numerous awards regularly, from golds and silvers at ACEF, Asia to Rural Marketing Awards in India culminating with a bronze and silver at the prestigious Cannes Lions in 2018.

I’m pursuing the use of one of the most effective solutions – sports as a platform to create & disseminate value based brand marketing solutions. At the same time, giving the sports rights holders meaningful and sustainable brand marketing, win-all solutions with the sponsor. Thus is the essence of Synergy TTL Sports Marketing, of which I am the Founder.

Extremely proud and honoured to be associated with ESA Awards for the past 5 years. It’s a privilege, honour, immensely gratifying and challenging at the same time. Personally, ESA Awards offers the best learning ground.

George Gilmore

54
UK
Global Marketing Director

LinkedIn

George leads a global, award-winning integrated marketing division of 65 people at 54, delivering brand, event and destination marketing strategies for some of the world’s most ambitious sports properties and brands — including Titleist, World Lacrosse and the PIF Global Series.

His career has been built at the intersection of sport, marketing and commercial strategy. Beginning in sports management and talent representation, he progressed into senior agency leadership roles spanning new business, client strategy and sponsorship activation — developing a well-rounded perspective on what it takes to deliver for both brands and rights holders.

Operating across the full marketing mix — paid, earned, social, creative, content, influencer, fan engagement and digital — George is equally comfortable presenting growth strategy to a board as he is shaping a client campaign from the ground up.

Tom Glover

Mercury13
UK
Commercial Director

LinkedIn

Tom Glover is Commercial Director of Mercury13, the multi-club women’s football ownership group, and a senior commercial operator in sport with twelve years’ experience across rights holders, agencies, and consultancies.

Tom was previously Commercial Operations Director at Tottenham Hotspur, where he helped deliver the club’s best-ever commercial season, shaping its digital strategy, women’s commercial approach and stadium entitlement. He negotiated and monetised partnerships including Netflix, BP, and Castrol, and represented the club on Premier League and Women’s Super League committees.

Most recently, Tom ran his own consultancy, advising rightsholders, agencies, and brands, and built Cobalt Commercial OS, an AI-powered product for sports partnership teams.

Irene Gowing

NDAS
IRELAND
Senior Marketing Adviser

LinkedIn

Irene is a senior marketing and brand leader with over 20 years’ experience delivering strategic sponsorship programmes across regulated and consumer-facing sectors.

Working primarily on the brand side, she had led flagship partnerships — including national venue naming rights, major sports championships, and integrated CSR programmes.
Irene has managed the full lifecycle of many of these partners; from negotiation through to establishing, evaluation and strategic exit.

She has a deep understanding of the value that can be achieved through strong brand and rights holder partnership and combines strategic vision with commercial accountability and practical delivery.

Camila Grasso

UK
Business Development Director

LinkedIn

Camila Grasso is an experienced Senior Director of Business Development with a strong track record in sports marketing, digital marketing, and client service. Since 2016, she has been driving growth, building strategic partnerships, and delivering impactful commercial outcomes across a range of industries.

With a unique blend of creativity and commercial insight, Camila has helped develop innovative marketing solutions, strengthen client relationships, and create scalable strategies that drive business success. She is known for turning complex challenges into practical, results-oriented opportunities while fostering long-term value for clients.

Michael Green

Verve The Live Agency
IRELAND
Senior Sponsorship Director

LinkedIn

I am a sports marketing professional with 20 years of experience in across the UK and Ireland.

I delivered sponsorship activations for world-leading brands like Coca-Cola, DHL, BP, Pepsi and Nissan at global events including the FIFA World Cups, Rugby World Cup, the Olympics and the Champions League.

In 2015, I brought my experience to the Irish market, managing successful brand campaigns as a Sponsorship Marketing Manager at AIB and Sky Ireland, before joining Verve, The Live Agency as as the Senior Sponsorship Director across the Diageo account.

Sandra Greer

Greer Consulting
UK
Consultant

LinkedIn

Sandra is an experienced sponsorship and insights professional with a proven track record in devising and delivering market-leading measurement, valuation, and evaluation programmes for both brands and rights holders.

Now working as an independent consultant, Sandra continues to channel her passion for data-driven decision-making — integrating multiple data sets to create holistic, actionable insights. She specialises in guiding clients through the full sponsorship journey, from property selection and asset valuation to post-campaign evaluation and performance measurement.

Her core expertise lies in Measurement, Research & Insights — designing, implementing, and reporting on bespoke sponsorship evaluation programmes. Sandra’s work spans valuation of assets, audience and activation/event surveys, sponsorship health tracking, and the integration of diverse data sources to deliver a complete, 360-degree understanding of return on objectives.

Mike Grumbridge

Sid Lee Sport
UK
Managing Director

LinkedIn

Mike is Managing Director of Sid Lee Sport, the creative and sponsorship agency. Since joining in 2022, he has helped lead the agency through a period of strong growth, proving that creativity, operational excellence, and a rigorous approach to measurement and effectiveness can work together to deliver real impact.

He has led major global campaigns, including the four-time ESA award-winning Tommy Hilfiger F1 Movie campaign, alongside work for clients including FIFA, Lidl, Visa, and UEFA.

Before Sid Lee Sport, Mike worked at creative agencies supporting major sports brands and rights holders, and has experience across multiple Olympics, World Cups, and the Tour de France.

Kate Hamer

Kate Hamer Ltd & AxisStars
UK
Managing Director & COO

LinkedIn

Kate Hamer is a Marketeer who has specialised in Digital throughout her career. She worked client side for more than 15 years in global household brand names such as Orange, Unilever, Tesco, Disney and L’Oréal. She has managed and delivered brand partnerships both from a brand perspective and also as a representative of talent and influencers.

Kate has a range of B2B and B2C experience. In 2015 she established her own consultancy where she’s worked with a wide range of clients in sectors such as Beauty, Entertainment, Food & Drink and Sport.

In 2018 she joined forces with Louis to develop AxisStars. Her hands-on experience client side combines with Louis’ extensive career to create the perfect appreciation of the support needed for Pro-Talent and Partners alike.

Benji Hassell

Allwyn
UK
Global Partnerships Lead

LinkedIn

Benji Hassell is a sponsorship leader with over a decade of experience across sport’s biggest brands, including Ferrari, Real Madrid, Oracle Red Bull Racing and the Rugby World Cup. Currently Global Partnerships Lead at Allwyn, he previously led HP’s global sponsorship strategy for Scuderia Ferrari HP and Real Madrid, designing purpose-led campaigns that deliver measurable value.

His career spans client- and agency-side roles, from founding sustainable storytelling agency 22 Marketing to delivering award-winning DHL Express activations during Rugby World Cup 2019 across 40+ countries. Benji’s expertise covers strategy, contract negotiation, asset optimization, global rollout and internal engagement.

A University of Birmingham geography graduate and CMI Level 5 qualified manager, he has been shortlisted for multiple European and UK Sponsorship Awards. Based in Beaconsfield, Benji combines creative, commercial and collaborative approaches to build high-impact partnerships that resonate globally.

Mike Haywood

Octagon
UK
Vice President, Europe

LinkedIn

Mike has 14+ years experience in sports marketing, delivering activations and rights strategy for some of the most prominent spenders in the partnership space with elite rights holders.

His early career was in advertising agencies but soon pivoted to sport, leading delivery of global campaigns spots for The British & Irish Lions and program and content delivery for The Ryder Cup in Gleneagles 2014 and Hazeltine 2016.

At Octagon he has led  and grown key relationships including Mars Wrigley and The FA, UPS and The Masters, Standard Chartered’s FOS partnership with Liverpool FC, Deliveroo’s football portfolio across FIFA, The FA, and PSG and Cisco’s Global sponsorship account with Real Madrid, Manchester City, MLS clubs and later McLaren.

He is currently Vice President in Europe and oversees a portfolio of 8+ clients with upwards of £120m+ sponsor spend pa, as well as heading up the Octagon commercial strategy unit which drives all partnership strategy and rights acquisition for Octagon’s European client base.

Michael Higham

UK
Sports and entertainment industry professional

LinkedIn

Senior commercial leader with 15+ years building and scaling international revenue platforms across global sport and live entertainment.

I have operated at executive level across elite properties including AEG, the NFL, Liverpool FC, Arsenal, Manchester United, Sevilla FC and Roc Nation, leading multi market growth and commercial portfolios.

Hannah Hill

Brand Lab
UK
Founder

LinkedIn

For more than 20 years, I’ve built brands, shaped global marketing strategies and turned sponsorship into a driver of commercial growth.

My career has focused on fintech, trading and financial services, working at the intersection of brand, sponsorship, marketing and business performance. I’ve led global brand strategy at Axi, helped establish eToro’s first major football sponsorship and managed high-profile partnerships for Alpari.

My experience spans major sporting properties including Manchester City, West Ham United, Girona FC and the World Match Racing Tour, creating partnerships designed to deliver more than visibility.

I believe great sponsorship starts with a clear strategic idea — connecting the right brand with the right audience and turning that connection into relevance, engagement, trust and measurable commercial value.

Today, through Brand Lab, I help ambitious brands unlock the full potential of sponsorship, from strategy and partner selection through to activation, integration and performance.

Rex Hugill

Scottish Rugby
UK
Head of Partnerships

LinkedIn

A decade of experience in the sports industry at both agencies and a rights holder, currently Head of Partnerships at Scottish Rugby.

My team and I manage our outstanding portfolio of commercial partners to ensure a virtuous circle of value creation for brands and supporters.

Previously led SR’s social media and digital channels and this, coupled with a founding in more traditional sponsorship management, has given me a perspective on activation that is future-focused, flexible and fan-led.

Fredda Hurwitz

GMR Marketing
UNITED STATES
SVP/Executive Director, Strategy

LinkedIn

Originally from Boston, MA, Fredda lived in Europe for 30 years after graduating from the UC Berkeley.

From Disney Consumer Products EMEA to the NHL and NFL to some of the most renowned agencies including Momentum, Octagon, Ogilvy One and Redmandarin, Fredda spent 25+ years working in sports & entertainment marketing, strategy & sponsorship, including 8 as the Global CSO at Havas Play in London.

In 2018 she returned to the states to join an independent brand engagement agency as their CMO. In late 2020, she launched Gingernut Thinking D.C., a strategic marketing, partnerships and brand consultancy.

In January 2026 – after serving as an Executive Consultant for 4 years, Fredda joined GMR Marketing as SVP/Executive Director, Strategy.

She’s an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies, VCU’s School of Business and GMU’s Costello School of Business.

Fredda has two very British kids and a dog, is passionate about supporting the neurodivergent community and hates clowns.

ESA judging? Year 11 & counting!

Emilia Jozefowicz

Santander
UK
Sponsorship Manager

LinkedIn

Strategic Sponsorship & Events Manager with 11+ years’ experience in the UK financial services sector and a European Sponsorship Association (ESA) Diploma.

I specialise in developing and delivering high-impact partnerships that elevate brand positioning, deepen client relationships, and drive measurable commercial outcomes.

Mike Keech

Mike Keech & Co
NEW ZEALAND
Founder

LinkedIn

Mike Keech, CPM is an experienced marketing leader and Certified Practising Marketer with a proven track record of driving brand growth, customer engagement, and commercial success. He brings extensive experience in strategic marketing, customer experience, and business development, combining data-driven insights with creative thinking to deliver measurable results.

Passionate about advancing professional standards, Mike is committed to recognising excellence in sales and marketing and the positive impact it has on businesses, customers, and communities. He values innovation, customer-centricity, and effective execution as key drivers of success.

As a returning ESA Awards Judge, Mike brings an informed, balanced, and objective perspective to the judging process. He enjoys evaluating outstanding work, identifying emerging trends, and celebrating individuals and organisations that are raising the bar for excellence across the industry.

Jillian Keene

UAE & IRELAND
Fractional Sponsorship Consultant and Brand Partnerships Director

LinkedIn

A senior commercial sponsorship & brand partnerships professional, Jill has 25 years’ experience developing strategic sponsorship portfolios & brand activation programmes across the globe.

Having built her career in the UK & Ireland before moving to the USA & now based in the Middle East, Jill has a successful track record of building high-performing teams to deliver best-in-class marketing & activation campaigns across sport, music & entertainment.

She has worked with iconic brands, rights holders & high-profile events including O2, Three, Liberty Global, Aramco, PIF, Dubai Dept of Tourism & Economy, Irish Rugby, Manchester United, Live Nation, The O2/3Arena, Rugby World Cup, FIFA World Cup Qatar, Olympic Games, Ryder Cup, F1 Abu Dhabi, ATP & WTA.
Jill’s work & reputation have earned industry recognition & multiple awards. She is a past ESA winner & 2027 will mark her third year judging the Awards.

Jill is currently a fractional sponsorship consultant & brand partnerships director & is always open to new conversations & coffees.

Lars Köhnen

FedEx Europe
GERMANY
Senior Brand Marketing Specialist

LinkedIn

Lars is Senior Brand Marketing Specialist and Sponsoring Expert at FedEx with more than 20 years of experience in the industry. Currently he leads the media strategy and planning in GALP region after steering various global activation programmes of FedEx partnerships like UEFA Champions League over almost a decade, which were awarded several times with ESA Awards and the Digiday Media Award.

Throughout his career Lars brought several sponsorships to life on client, rightsholder and agency side including UEFA Europa League, UEFA EURO 2020, ATP Tour, Formula 1, German Bundesliga, America’s Cup. He also worked on athlete and celebrity management.

Lars strongly believes in the power of sponsoring and its crucial role in brand marketing from driving awareness and consideration to pushing sales, where it fits to the product. But for him, a sponsorship is predominantly a key driver to build mental availability amongst the audience through brand exposure, storytelling and a strong emotional link in relevant environments.

Szymon Kubiak

inStreamly
POLAND
co-founder

LinkedIn

Szymon Kubiak is Co-Founder and CGO at inStreamly, a platform connecting brands with gaming creators and livestreaming communities across Europe. He has spent over 15 years at the intersection of gaming, esports, media and brand partnerships.

Before inStreamly, he led content work at MediaCom Warsaw for brands including Play, Coca-Cola, Sony, GSK and Bayer.

At inStreamly, Szymon helps brands build effective creator and gaming partnerships that respect both business goals and community culture.

Owner of more than 70 media awards.

Niall Leyden

Teneo
IRELAND
Associate Director

LinkedIn

Niall is an Associate Director in Teneo’s Sports Advisory team with over seven years’ experience advising brands and rights holders across sport and entertainment. He specialises in sponsorship strategy, activation and evaluation, and has worked with major brands and rights holders in Ireland and internationally, including Vodafone, Bord Gáis Energy, Chadwicks, the NFL and The British & Irish Lions.

Niall has particular expertise in Gaelic Games, working closely with the GAA, GPA, county boards and leading sponsors to develop and activate partnerships that deliver against brand and business objectives.
Niall remains actively involved with his home GAA club, Shannon Gaels in Co. Roscommon. He holds a BA in English and History, a Higher Diploma in Business, a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing and the ESA Diploma in Sponsorship.

Sean Loughlin

Pinergy
IRELAND
Sponsorship & Events Specialist

LinkedIn

A seasoned sponsorship and activation specialist with 4+ years’ experience, first entering the sponsorship industry agency side with ONSIDE Sponsorship, strategising partnerships and activations across sport, entertainment, and the arts. A position that brought together a background in sponsorship evaluation, research and data-led insights, with a role in co-curating industry events including the Who Won Sponsorship Series in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

Currently the Sponsorship & Events Specialist at Pinergy, leading end-to-end strategies for major sports partnerships including Munster Rugby, Connacht GAA and Wexford GAA. Managing profile ambassador relationships, such as Jack Crowley and Anna Foster, aligning targeted content with key B2B commercial goals in the Irish energy sector.

Matt Lowen

AEG International
UK
Partnerships Sales Director

A Partnerships Sales Director at AEG Global Partnerships, focused on securing new sponsorship partnerships for the business. My role centres on The O2, while also identifying opportunities for brands across AEG’s wider portfolio of venues internationally.

Matt works with brands to develop partnerships that connect with audiences through live entertainment, music and culture. My experience spans sponsorship sales, partnership strategy and commercial negotiations, giving me a strong understanding of what drives successful sponsorship programmes.

Peter Lowry

Publicis Media
UK
OneMars Global Partnerships Lead

LinkedIn

Peter is Global Partnerships Lead for the OneMars team at Publicis Media.

A former graduate of the ESA Diploma, Peter has judged multiple editions of the ESA Awards, and is excited to apply this experience to the 2027 ESA Awards.

In his role as Partnerships Lead, Peter works closely with the world’s largest media platforms, and so is particularly eager to see how entrants have chosen to activate their negotiated sponsorships.

Terri Lynam

In the Round Global
UK
Managing Director

LinkedIn

Terri Lynam is an international sports and events professional with 20+ years’ experience delivering major sporting events, fan experiences, sponsorship activations, content and audience engagement programmes.

Her career spans global properties including the FIFA Women’s Asian Cup, Rugby League World Cup, World Gymnastics Championships and LA28. She has extensive experience working with sponsors and rights holders to develop partnerships that go beyond brand visibility, creating experiences that connect brands with fans before, during and after an event.

Terri specialises in bringing sponsorship ideas to life through innovative event experiences, interactive in-stadium activations, content and fan engagement. She understands how to balance commercial value with authenticity, ensuring activations enhance the spectator experience.

She has worked internationally with brands, federations, governments and sporting organisations and is passionate about sponsorship’s power to create meaningful connections and measurable impact.

Amy Macrae

Edinburgh International Festival
UK
Partnership Manager

LinkedIn

Amy Macrae is an Edinburgh-based creative professional, with more than nine years’ experience spanning brand, marketing, communications and partnerships.

She currently works as Partnerships Manager at the Edinburgh International Festival, where she brings together strategic thinking, relationship-building and creative storytelling to develop meaningful partnerships and connect audiences with one of Scotland’s most internationally recognised cultural events.

Having held senior roles across finance, tech and F&B, Amy has a breadth of experience working on campaigns and partnerships, both large and small.

Alongside her professional work, Amy is an accomplished writer, with her work recognised by the Scottish Story Awards Flash Fiction Prize and the Allen Wright Journalism Award. Amy also took part in the Edinburgh International Book Festival this year as part of their Fresh Words Showcase for selected emerging talent.

Peter Maris

Ethias
BELGIUM
Head of Brand Activation

LinkedIn

Peter Maris is Head of Department Brand Activation at Ethias, where he leads the company’s brand activation strategy, including sponsorship, partnerships, events and audience engagement initiatives. In this role, he oversees the development and evaluation of strategic partnerships across sport, culture and community platforms, ensuring they create meaningful value for both audiences and the business.

Alongside his corporate responsibilities, Peter is a partner at Hive Sportsgroup, the production company behind the popular Belgian football show Ongefilterd.

Throughout his career, Peter has worked closely with rights holders, athletes, federations, agencies and media partners to develop impactful collaborations. Working both from the brand side  and from the rights holder and content creator perspective, he brings a balanced understanding of the sponsorship ecosystem.

Peter also serves as a Board Member of the Belgian Sponsorship Association (BSA), contributing to the advancement and professionalisation of the sponsorship industry in BE.

Alexandra Marsden

MSQ Sport + Entertainment
UK
Business Director

LinkedIn

Alex is a Business Director at MSQ Sport + Entertainment, leading partnership strategy and delivery across both British Gas & Barclays.

She has over 12 years’ experience connecting brands with culture through sport, entertainment and experience, having worked on everything from the Olympics to the WTA tour.

Her focus is on building partnerships that go beyond traditional sponsorship, rooted in insight and designed to shift perception as well as drive commercial return.

Lucy Mart

PrettyGreen
UK
Co-Managing Director, Chief Growth Officer

LinkedIn

Lucy is Chief Growth Officer and Co-MD at PrettyGreen, focused on helping brands grow through creative work that drives real customer and business impact.

A core part of the agency for 15 years, she has helped shape PrettyGreen’s evolution from leading its communications team to driving growth through new business, innovation and strategic partnerships.

With 20 years’ experience across PR, experiential and integrated marketing, Lucy combines creative thinking with commercial focus. She has led work for brands including Hasbro, P&G, Diageo, Red Bull, Mercedes-Benz and Under Armour, which she helped establish in the UK through six years of culturally relevant, insight-led work.

Previously, Lucy led the sports practice at Edelman and worked on major global sponsorship programmes including London 2012. She is a regular industry judge for PRMoment, PRWeek and the European Sponsorship Association, and has served on the PR360 Advisory Board.

Gary Martin

Avalara
UK
Senior Marketing & Partnership Manager

LinkedIn

Gary Martin is a global brand, marketing and sponsorship leader with 25+ years’ experience building brands that earn trust, engaging customers and teams, and unlocking the commercial value of strategic partnerships for global businesses including Avalara and FedEx. He has led brand and sponsorship strategy, governance and activation across Europe and international markets.
His partnership experience spans UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA EURO 2020, national team football, Brighton & Hove Albion FC, NFL, ATP Tour and PGA Tour, as well as media and entertainment partnerships.

Gary is driven by the belief that sport, culture and partnerships can create positive change. He focuses on creating purposeful partnerships that strengthen brands, deepen customer and team engagement, fuel business growth and make a meaningful impact beyond the partnership itself.

Wim Mathues

The Team (formerly Wasserman)
BELGIUM
Senior Vice President – Brands & Properties

LinkedIn

Seasoned marketing & sales leader, with specific experience in the sports & entertainment marketing, consumer goods (FMCG/CPG), digital commerce, and tech landscape! Currently SVP Brands & Properties at The Team (formerly Wasserman) agency since early 2023, and Partnership Consultant at global sports retailer Decathlon.

Worked for or with brands like Coca-Cola, GfK (NielsenIQ), Nielsen Sports (Repucom), Mastercard, Entain Group (bwin & Ladbrokes), Classified Cycling. Through Wasserman, worked on European sports, music and culture/lifestyle sponsorship projects for AB InBev (10 brands), Bacardi-Martini Group, Pernod Ricard, BYD, PSV Eindhoven football club, Van Rysel cycling (awarded at the 2026 ESA Awards), Biscoff/Lotus, Deloitte and many more.

Guest lecturer in sports & digital marketing at KU Leuven, Vlerick Business School, UCLL, KdG, The Football Business Academy, and advisory board member at several SME’s in tech, sports, entertainment or FMCG brands.

Eddie May

Overdog Ltd
UK
Owner

LinkedIn

I’ve worked in sports marketing and sponsorship for almost 30 years.

In the early 2000s I worked at Umbro, responsible for managing and activating high profile partnerships with the likes of The FA, Manchester United, Celtic and Chelsea.

I then co-founded, built and exited from an integrated agency (Threepipe), working with global sponsors and rights holders including Stella Artois, EA Sports, New Balance, The NFL, EFL, ECB and ATP Tour.

Since 2018 I’ve worked as an independent consultant, advising UK and global brands on all aspects of sponsorship strategy.

In 2025 I was shortlisted for the Sport Industry Awards Consultant of the Year.

I live in Essex with my wife and three children.

Gavin McAllister

1920 Worldwide
IRELAND
Managing Director

LinkedIn

Gavin has spent more than 20 years working in sponsorship and partnerships, across agency, rightsholder and brand including WRC, Rally Ireland, Platinum One and Three Ireland. With a breadth of experience covering sport, venues, festivals and cultures, he has worked with some of Ireland’s biggest rightsholders including the FAI, IRFU and Live Nation.

In 2022 he opened the Ireland offices of 1920 Worldwide – a marketing and commercial innovation agency that leverages the power of partnerships to accelerate growth. Since then, he’s worked with the Irish Life Dublin Marathon, Irish Sailing and Golf Ireland, alongside brands like JYSK, Bewley’s, Fingal County Council and the Staff Relay Series. Having sat on both sides of the table, Gavin knows what partnerships need to do: spark relationships, drive growth, and create moments people actually remember, long after a partnership has ended.

Harriet McDonald

Transport for London
UK
Head of Commercial Partnerships

LinkedIn

I am a commercial partnerships leader with a deep love for London. The highlight of my career has been building TfL’s partnerships business from the ground up, transforming it into an award-winning commercial rights holder generating more than £20m annually. Our work places brands at the heart of London life while delivering meaningful revenue and public value.

Along the way, I have helped create some of the capital’s most recognisable commercial moments, from painting the town red with Santander Cycles and reshaping the skyline with the London Cable Car, to renaming Tube stations and creating cultural moments e.g. Gareth Southgate and Picardilly Circus.

I thrive where creativity, commerce and impact meet, bringing together unexpected partners, reimagining everyday spaces and creating experiences that capture the public imagination.

My career has spanned ITV, Classic FM, Channel 4, Cancer Research UK, City Hall and TfL, always focused on creating partnerships that deliver results, create memorable moments and leave something good behind.

Michael McDonnell

ZEAL Collabs
UK
Head of Agency

LinkedIn

Mike McDonnell is Head of ZEAL Collabs, ZEAL Group’s partnerships and culture commerce agency, connecting leading fast moving brands with culture.

He launched ZEAL Collabs as part of ZEAL Group, delivering multi-million-pound partnerships across entertainment, sport, talent, gaming, live events, charity and media. Today, he oversees 70+ partnerships annually for brands including ARLA, Kellanova, Nestlé, Weetabix, Bacardi, Carlsberg Britvic and Suntory.

With 12 years’ experience across partnerships, integrated marketing and sport across +60 markets, Mike specialises in creating culturally relevant work that builds brand fame and delivers commercial impact.

He judges for the Alliance of Independent Agencies Awards and Institute of Promotional Marketing Awards.

Mary McGuire

Legacy Communications
IRELAND
Head of Sponsorship

LinkedIn

Mary McGuire is Head of Sponsorship at Legacy Communications, where she leads sponsorship strategy, communciations and activation for leading brands and rights holders in Ireland.

Her experience spans sport, entertainment and community engagement, working with clients including Aviva, PTSB, Energia, laya healthcare, Staycity Aparthotels, WHOOP and Movember, alongside organisations such as the GAA and GPA.

Mary has led award-winning work across sponsorship strategy, activation, PR and content, with campaigns recognised by the ESA Awards, PRCA and PRII.

Having judged the ESA Awards across several recent cycles, she brings a strong understanding of strategically rigorous, creatively distinctive and measurably effective sponsorship.

Michelle McLeod

IVC Evidensia
UK
Senior Marketing Manager

LinkedIn

Michelle has over 25 years’ experience in marketing, sponsorship and events across the private and public sectors, working for both brands and rightsholders.

She has managed sponsorship for some of the world’s leading brands, including leading sponsorship from inception to developing an international programme working across arts, sports and entertainment. She has also worked as a consultant to rightsholders in the arts, sports and charitiable space.

Michelle is currently Senior Marketing Manager at IVC Evidensia, leading national and regional multi-channel campaigns and integrated brand activations across the UK and Ireland.

Oliver Meade

Think Beyond
UK
Senior Director, Commercial Partnerships

LinkedIn

Oliver Meade is Senior Director, Commercial Partnerships at Think Beyond, where he established and leads the Commercial & Sponsorship Advisory practice. He advises brands, rights holders and sports organisations including the NBA, NASCAR, UEFA, Red Bull Racing and Subway on sponsorship strategy, commercial proposition development, portfolio growth, governance and performance measurement.

His experience spans the full sponsorship lifecycle, from strategy and investment decisions through rights negotiation, activation, measurement and renewal, across the UK and Australasia.

Previously, Oliver led Three UK’s flagship partnership with Chelsea FC, overseeing strategy, rights management and commercial performance across the men’s and women’s teams.

He believes the strongest partnerships should solve genuine business challenges, strengthen brands, build meaningful audience relationships and deliver measurable value.

Daniel Morales

Riot Games
GERMANY
Partnerships & Alliances Manager

LinkedIn

Daniel Morales is a senior marketing and strategy leader at Riot Games, working at the intersection of gaming, entertainment, sport and culture. With experience spanning global marketing, strategic partnerships and brand development, daniel Morales has worked across international markets to build programmes that connect brands with highly engaged communities and create meaningful value for fans and partners.

At Riot Games, Daniel  has collaborated with global and regional teams across some of the world’s most influential gaming and esports properties, bringing together creative, commercial and audience perspectives. Their experience includes partnership strategy and management, integrated marketing and cross-functional leadership across complex international projects.

Passionate about the evolving role of sponsorship in entertainment and sport, Daniel brings a global, audience-first perspective and a strong appreciation for work that combines strategic thinking, creativity and measurable impact.

Mark Moreau

Elevate Talent
UK
President/CEO

LinkedIn

Mark Moreau is President & CEO of Elevate Talent, a global executive search and leadership advisory firm specialising in sports, media, entertainment and lifestyle. He leads a team of more than 70 professionals worldwide, partnering with some of the most influential and ambitious organisations across the global sports and entertainment landscape.

With extensive experience advising owners, boards and senior leadership teams, Mark has developed a deep understanding of the commercial, cultural and strategic forces shaping the sports and entertainment industries. His work sits at the intersection of talent, brands, audiences and growth, providing a broad perspective on what enables organisations and partnerships to deliver meaningful and sustainable impact.

Mark is particularly passionate about the evolution of the sports and entertainment ecosystem and the increasingly important role that commercial partnerships play in connecting brands with audiences.

Karen Morris

Reg&Partners
UK
MD/Founder

LinkedIn

Ex media sponsorship now rightsholder sales lead at an agency representing sport, arts & culture, charities and not for profits, venues and events. Decades experience and still loving the industry and learning about new campaigns and partnerships.

Pete Morris

PwC UK
UK
Head of Brand Experience

LinkedIn

“Pete Morris is a sponsorship, partnerships and brand experience leader with more than 15 years of expertise specialising in sponsorship, experiential marketing and strategic partnerships. He has built and led high-performing teams to deliver impactful programmes for global brands such as PwC and Canon. Pete has extensive sponsorship experience spanning sport, culture, purpose-led partnerships and major events, including football, Rugby, f1, athletics and charities.

Currently Head of Brand Experience at PwC UK, Pete leads client engagement, partnership and hospitality programmes designed to strengthen relationships and enhance brand perception.

Previously, Pete headed Canon Europe’s Brand & Sponsorship function, overseeing major international activations and award-winning brand campaigns.

In 2026, Pete won the prestigious European Sponsorship Association (ESA) Sponsorship of the Year Award for Canon’s World Unseen partnership with the RNIB, recognised as the standout sponsorship among the many entries from across Europe.

Ashley Morrow

SSE
UK
Head of Brand, Advertising and Sponsorship

LinkedIn

Ashley Morrow is Head of Brand, Advertising and Sponsorship at SSE Airtricity (island of Ireland) and SSE Energy Solutions (GB).

An experienced brand and communications leader, she has worked across various industries including energy, financial services, technology, travel, sport and manufacturing. Leading initiatives spanning Brand Strategy, Experiential Marketing, Sponsorship, Product Marketing, Digital Marketing, Content Strategy, PR, Organisational Communication, and Strategic Project Delivery.

Ashley holds a PhD in Organisational Communication, a First Class Honours degree in Communication, Advertising and Marketing, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Development for Researchers, combining academic expertise with industry experience

Lina Nawas

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Marketing & Sponsorship Consultant

LinkedIn

Lina Nawas is a global marketing and partnerships executive with 25 years’ experience leading global marketing, sponsorship and commercial partnerships across sport, entertainment, FMCG and fintech.
As Global Head of Partnerships & Events at OKX, she led global partnerships including Manchester City FC, McLaren Racing and the Tribeca Film Festival. Under her leadership, the partnership between OKX and Manchester City won the 2024 ESA Award for Sport Sponsorship €5M+.

Most recently CMO of The Ring Magazine, Lina previously served as Global Gatorade Marketing Director at PepsiCo in Chicago, where she led global football strategy and partnerships with leading clubs and athletes including FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi.
Her experience spans partnership strategy, rights negotiation, global activation and commercial measurement, giving her a balanced perspective on the creativity, strategic thinking and commercial effectiveness that define outstanding sponsorships.

Sarah Niblock

UK
Consultant

LinkedIn

Sarah Niblock is a sponsorship and communications leader with more than 20 years’ experience developing and delivering high-profile partnerships across sport, entertainment and major live events. She has worked client-side, for rights-holders and in agency environments, giving her a broad perspective on both the commercial and creative sides of sponsorship.

Sarah started the partnerships function at global insurance group Howden, where she initiated the company’s Principal Partnership with The British & Irish Lions.  Previously, at SSE, she worked on major sport and entertainment partnerships including ITV’s coverage of Rugby World Cup, Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Wembley Arena and The SSE Hydro. She also directed the Glasgow International Comedy Festival and was a groundbreaker in communications at Scottish Rugby.

Her career combines strategic sponsorship, brand, comms, lactivation and campaign delivery, with a particular interest in what makes partnerships genuinely effective for brands, audiences and rights-holders.

Caz Nicholls

MatchFit
UK
Managing Director

LinkedIn

Caz is the Managing Director of MatchFit – specialist sports PR agency based in London and Manchester.

With over 15 years’ agency and in-house PR experience, in London and Sydney, Caz has a passion for sport and its power as a vehicle for social cohesion.

Prior to joining MatchFit, Caz was Head of Comms – Planning, Strategy & Engagement at the England & Wales Cricket Board. Part of her remit was also Head of Comms for The Hundred, helping to build a new audience-focused competition that has fundamentally changed the perception and accessibility of cricket.

Since its inception in 2019, MatchFit has built a client roster of world-class brands, rightsholders and governing bodies including The FA, Topps, Manchester City, the ECB, LiveScore, EA SPORTS, Compare the Market, Asahi and LALIGA. The agency has created award-winning sports work powered by a positioning of absolute specialism across consumer, grassroots and boardroom audiences in sport, and was the 3rd fastest-growing agency in the 2026 PRWeek Top 150 Consultancies report.

Metin Odemis

Interactive Sponsor
UK
Founder

LinkedIn

I am the Founder of Interactive Sponsor, a strategic corporate partnership and sponsorship advisory operating between London and Los Angeles.

With more than 20 years’ experience across the UK, Europe and the United States, I advise brands, rights holders, platforms and growth-stage companies on developing long-term partnerships that create strategic business value.

My work has included collaborations with the Golden Globe® Awards, The Recording Academy, Live Nation and leading global brands across sport, entertainment, media, technology and innovation. More recently, I have expanded my focus to Corporate Venture Capital, helping connect established organisations with emerging companies through strategic partnerships and investment opportunities.

I have previously served twice as a judge for the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) Awards and remain passionate about recognising excellence and innovation across our industry.

Khadeen O’Donnell

Independent Talent Group
UK
Partnership Sales Lead – Sport & Entertainment

LinkedIn

Khadeen has been an ESA Board Director since 2021 and has built a career at the intersection of brands, culture and entertainment, with brilliant experience at English National Ballet, Southbank Centre, and most recently Legends Global.

Having joined Independent Talent Group, this summer, she is on a mission to build an exciting new commercial revenue stream for Independent, creating partnerships between brands, talent and the world’s biggest rights holders in sport and entertainment.

Ciara O’Grady

Artsóg
IRELAND
Consultant

LinkedIn

Ciara has a wealth of experience in marketing, sponsorship programme management, commercial development and preferred partnership programmes.

She has worked in house for both rights holders and sponsors across sectors and geographies, including The Gleneagle Group, Bord Gáis Energy and The National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght. Whilst working as a Senior Consultant with sponsorship marketing agency ONSIDE, Ciara supported clients with setting sponsorship strategy, delivering research intelligence and compiling valuations.

Ciara now supports clients as an independent consultant on both short and longer term engagements.

Rob O’Leary

Wilson Hartnell
IRELAND
Associate Director

LinkedIn

Rob is a marketing and partnerships leader with 8+ years’ experience developing integrated brand, sponsorship and partnership strategies that drive commercial growth and audience engagement across international markets.

As Associate Director at Wilson Hartnell (Ogilvy) in Dublin, Rob advises clients across FMCG, financial services, healthcare and insurance, leading strategic partnerships, sponsorships and integrated campaigns.
Rob specialises in sponsorship strategy, brand partnerships, and sponsorship activation, combining strategic thinking with a strong commercial focus with collaborative leadership.

Scott Over

Sporting Giants LTD
UK
CEO

LinkedIn

Scott Over is Co-Founder of Sporting Giants, a commercial and purpose consultancy working with brands, international federations, national governing bodies and the IOC on sponsorship strategy, rights valuation and sustainability.

He has spent close to twenty years on every side of the sponsorship table: agency; brand-side consulting; and rights holder, at the International Tennis Federation, OC Sport and World Sailing, where as Commercial Director he led a global partnership portfolio including Rolex, SAP, BNP Paribas, Hempel and Musto, plus the commercial programme for the Olympic Sailing Event.

Scott’s work spans rights negotiation and valuation, activation, digital and esports (he launched the eSailing World Championship) and sustainability.

He is a Director was a Trustee of the World Sailing Trust and sits on the board of the British Volleyball Federation.

Vinga (Vigdis Ingibjorg) Palsdottir

NetApp
ICELAND
Head of Global Sponsorships

LinkedIn

Vinga Pálsdóttir founded NetApp’s global sponsorship function in 2022, shaping a portfolio spanning the NFL, Aston Martin Formula 1, the San Francisco 49ers, San Jose Sharks, Ducati Corse and DreamWorks.

Her work at NetApp has spanned both brand and revenue marketing before moving into global sponsorships, giving her a perspective that connects partnerships to the wider commercial and brand agenda. Today, she spends most of her time where portfolio strategy, integrated activation and measurement meet – thinking about what is worth doing, how it should show up, and how to turn partnerships into meaningful brand and business value.

Vinga’s route into tech was equally varied: brand strategy at a Nordic agency, Costco’s Iceland launch, co-founding a restaurant in Denmark and launching one in Iceland, and a sports broadcasting startup working with international football rights. That breadth still shapes how she approaches marketing today: what problem does this solve, what opportunity does it create, and how will we know if it worked?

Vinga holds an MBA from IE Business School.

She is also building Tímaspor, Icelandic history audiobooks for children. Same job, smaller audience, considerably harder to impress.

Donald Parish

MatchFit
UK
Chief Executive & Founder

LinkedIn

Donald is the Chief Executive & Co-Founder of MatchFit, the specialist sports PR agency.

Since founding in 2019, MatchFit has built a client roster of world-class brands, rightsholders and governing bodies including The FA, Topps, Manchester City, the ECB, LiveScore, EA SPORTS, Compare the Market, Asahi and LALIGA. The agency has created award-winning sports work powered by a positioning of absolute specialism across consumer, grassroots and boardroom audiences in sport, and was the 3rd fastest-growing agency in the 2026 PRWeek Top 150 Consultancies report.

Donald’s two-decades-long career started in 2006 at the iconic consumer agency Shine, launching global gaming titles for EA SPORTS and bringing WWE talent into the UK mainstream. His calling for sport then took him to the award-winning Synergy, where he played a critical role in major earned-first integrated campaigns across sponsorships for Aviva Premiership, RBS 6 Nations and the Capital One Cup.

Marije Plaum

The Rijksmuseum, The Netherlands
NETHERLANDS
Head of Partnerships

LinkedIn

As head of Partnerships at Rijksmuseum for the last 5 years, I am leveraging a diverse background in creating synergies and building lasting relationships within the cultural field.

With my team, I am responsible for 25 industry exclusive (inter)national partners and 85 business club members. Over the last 5 years, I have built successful partner cases with Chanel as a partner of our Women of the Rijksmusueum-project, ING – first time visitors, KPN – e-sport events to broader our visitors base, Philips – customer journey research, KLM & Heineken, but also teamed up with the Walt Disney Company to develop a long-term strategic programming partnership, which lead to a double-digit growth in children & families visiting the museum over the course of two family months with 85k visitors each.

I am also a winner of two SponsorRingen, a SponsorReport columnist and a guest speaker at Partner, teaching and network events.

Áine Plunkett

Marketing Institute Ireland
IRELAND
Head of Professional Services

LinkedIn

Áine Plunkett is Head of Professional Services at Marketing Institute Ireland (MII) and has more than 20 years’ experience in sponsorship, marketing and commercial partnerships.

She’s worked across both agency and brand environments, leading and advising on high-profile sponsorship programmes spanning sport, music, brands and major commercial partnerships, including naming rights and stadium sponsorships.

Áine also worked as a sponsorship consultant supporting organisations to maximise the strategic and commercial value of sponsorship investments. Her experience covers sponsorship strategy, rights evaluation, partnership activation and measuring business impact.

She brings a balanced perspective to judging, combining strategic, commercial and creative expertise with a strong focus on effectiveness, innovation and measurable results.

Jo Povey

Hark
UK
Director of Account Management

LinkedIn

Jo is Director of Account Management at Hark, a female-led agency that helps leading brands, including the Premier League, AIA, The FA, Samsung, Kellogg’s and JPMorganChase, to drive social impact through schools and communities.

Jo has spent 17 years helping organisations harness the power of sponsorship and partnerships to achieve business objectives while creating lasting impact for young people. She leads a number of Hark’s key client relationships, including the Premier League, overseeing award-winning programme Premier League Primary Stars, which uses the power of football to support young people’s learning and wellbeing. Her work with The FA includes Barclays Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers. Her expertise lies in creating initiatives that address inequalities, widen opportunities for young people and deliver measurable value for both organisations and communities.

Jo’s is also Co-Chair of Governors at a secondary school, where she supports school leadership in helping young people fulfil their potential.

Wouter Proot

RSC Anderlecht
BELGIUM
Partnership & B2B Director

LinkedIn

Wouter Proot – Partnership & B2B Director at RSC Anderlecht.

As Partnership & B2B Director, I’m responsible for the strategic development of sustainable business relationships and revenue streams within Belgium’s biggest football brand, RSC Anderlecht.

I approach partnerships as the interplay between reach, emotion and commercial impact. We look for the right balance between RSCA’s DNA, its audience, and the partner’s brand values and objectives — an approach that leads to end-to-end partnerships delivering tangible results, both short and long term.

Before joining RSC Anderlecht in 2022, I spent 10 years in the media industry, at Mindshare Belgium (Head of Client Leadership), Havas Media Group and HiMedia Belgium. It’s an experience I bring into every partnership, to drive valuable and efficient return.

Marco Raggi

42 Racing SA
SWITZERLAND
Business Development Director

LinkedIn

I am a professional with +30 years of activity in Sales & Marketing spent in various industries: Insurance and Telematics in particular. In the early 2000s I co-founded one of the first European web companies in the field of motor insurance price comparison.

Over the years I have worked closely with brands and agencies globally until, guided since childhood by a genuine passion for motorsports, I founded 42 Racing in 2017.

42 Racing is founded on the idea of a “boutique agency”, active in
– Sponsorship management,
– Driver mentoring and consultancy,
– and finding additional added value for Customers
resulting from my passion for and deep knowledge of motorsports.

Peter Raymond

ESA Sponsorship Diploma
UK
Course Director

LinkedIn

I founded and have been Course Director of the much-accoladed ESA Sponsorship Diploma, the industry’s leading professional qualification.

35+ years working in sponsorship/sports marketing for leading agencies and brands; most notably Head of International Sponsorship at Orange (1996-2004).

Career highlights include managing the sponsorship of the Castlemaine XXXX Australian Cricket and Rugby teams (1985-1992), selling and managing the sponsorship of the NutraSweet and Flora London Marathons (1992-1996), devising Lucozade Sport’s first ever sports sponsorship strategy (1992) and managing the British Athletics sponsorship portfolio (1990-1992). While at Orange negotiated the ‘Orange BAFTA’s’, created and implemented ‘Orange Wednesdays’ and oversaw the sponsorship of the ‘Orange Arrows’ F1 team (1996-2004).

In addition, have been a consultant for Camelot, Panasonic, Michelin, Blackberry, BAFTA, Film London and the Crafts Council on a wide range of partnership-related projects (2003-2020).

In 2023 was awarded the ESA Fellowship.

Dan Reading

Sporting Giants
UK
Co Founder

LinkedIn

Dan Reading is an internationally recognised, award-winning sustainability professional with 20 years’ experience at the intersection of sport, sustainability, major events and international policy.

Passionate about using sport for good, Dan creates strategies that turn sustainability ambition into measurable environmental and social impact.

He created World Sailing’s award-winning sustainability strategy and has advised International Federations, rights holders, major events, National Olympic Committees on sustainability, climate action, nature, social impact and sponsorship activations.

Dan’s experience spans governments, UN agencies, sport organisations, sponsors and athletes, connecting sustainability with credible measurement, practical delivery, stakeholder engagement and commercial opportunity.

He believes sport and cultural events can go beyond reducing their own impact to become a powerful catalyst for wider environmental and social change.

Sarah Riggott

THE·TEAM
UK
Executive Vice President, Marketing & Communications

LinkedIn

Executive Vice President, Marketing & Communications at THE·TEAM, with nearly 20 years’ experience spanning marketing communications, sports sponsorship, music, entertainment and culture.

Previously Global Chief Marketing Officer at CSM, I joined THE·TEAM following its acquisition of the business. In my current role, I lead the development and delivery of THE·TEAM’s marketing strategy and integrated communications, with a particular focus on driving the organisation’s profile, positioning and growth across EMEA and APAC.

Throughout my career, I have worked across a broad range of agency disciplines, bringing together brand, marketing and communications expertise with a strong understanding of the sponsorship and entertainment landscape.

I am also a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

James Robertson

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
UK
Commercial Partnership Manager

LinkedIn

James Robertson is Commercial Partnership Manager at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Edinburgh Castle Concerts, where he leads sponsorship sales and account management for one of the world’s most recognised live event properties. He builds high-value, long-term partnerships with global brands, structuring deals that go beyond branding to deliver measurable return, alongside a wider commercial remit across concessions and retail.

He values sharp storytelling and partnerships that genuinely fit the property, rather than logos in search of a home. In 2023 the Tattoo won Gold at the ESA Awards for Arts & Culture Sponsorship, Charitable Organisations. A British Army Reserve officer, he holds the ESA Sponsorship Sales Certificate with Distinction.

He also values being part of something bigger, and takes real pride that the Tattoo’s success supports multiple charities each year.

Colm Roche

Ancaire Sponsorship Solutions
IRELAND
Strategic Sponsorship Consultant

LinkedIn

With 15 years’ experience across Ireland, the UK, Europe and the Middle East, I bring a rare all-sides perspective to the sponsorship industry. Having worked across brand, rights holder and media environments, I understand what makes partnerships commercially credible, operationally effective and genuinely memorable.

I’ve worked closely with leading rights holders (e.g. IRFU, GAA, Connacht Rugby, UAE Olympic Committee, Emirates Cricket Board etc. ) and globally recognised brands (e.g. Heineken, GSK, Unilever, McDonald’s, Cupra, Jaguar Land Rover, Emirates & more). In addition I’ve also worked across media owners including Virgin Media, RTÉ, Bauer Media, Sky & more.

I have worked on every stage of sponsorships (e.g. strategy development, property selection & valuation, contract negotiation, activation, delivery management and performance measurement).

This ensures that your solution is tailored to your needs and not a copy and paste agency approach.

Joanna Rozbicka

Fuse Poland (OMG)
POLAND
Managing Director Fuse Poland

LinkedIn

I am a sponsorship, entertainment and sports marketing specialist with 14 years of experience creating partnerships that connect brands with culture, fans and communities. I built my expertise at MediaCom (WPP), leading entertainment, sports and influencer marketing programmes for brands including Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and Play. I worked across sponsorships, branded entertainment, talent collaborations and gaming.

Currently, as Managing Director of Fuse Poland (OMG), I lead entertainment, music and sports marketing strategies. My recent work includes campaigns for CHERY Group featuring Robert Lewandowski, partnerships for OMODA, music activations and projects for McDonald’s, Perfetti Van Melle, Beiersdorf, Berlin-Chemie and others.

Throughout my career, I have delivered award-winning campaigns, including sports marketing for pharmaceutical brands. I also contributed to influencer marketing standards in Poland through IAB Poland and UOKiK, and support the industry through IAA Poland.

Alice Samtoy

Samtoy & Company
UK
Director

LinkedIn

Alice is a sponsorship expert based in Edinburgh with significant experience in the cultural sector. She has 19 years of industry experience and holds three academic degrees, offering her clients a powerful combination of theoretical and practical knowledge.

Before launching her consultancy, Samtoy & Company, Alice worked for major cultural institutions such as the National Theatre, the Barbican Centre, English National Opera, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the City of London Festival and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

As a consultant, her clients have included BAFTA, the Benedetti Foundation, Edinburgh International Festival, National Museums Scotland, as well as a range of agencies, public and private sector companies.

Richard Sceats

Canon
UK
Brand, Sponsorship & Events Manager

LinkedIn

Richard Sceats is Brand, Sponsorship & Events Manager for Canon EMEA, where he leads the development of Canon’s brand strategy, sponsorship portfolio and flagship brand programmes across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

With more than 20 years of international experience in marketing, partnerships and events, Richard has built and delivered award-winning campaigns, purpose-led partnerships and large-scale brand experiences that drive both business impact and brand reputation.

Originally from New Zealand and based in the UK for the past decade, he has played a key role in shaping Canon’s brand presence through initiatives spanning accessibility, sustainability, sport, culture and visual storytelling.

Sam Scott

Verve Live Agency
UK
Head of Commercial and Sponsorship

LinkedIn

I am currently Head of Commercial and Sponsorship at Verve Live Agency, a leading sponsorship and events agency with offices across Europe and APAC.

I have over 15 years’ experience across agency, brand sponsorship and live events, now approaching 10 years at Verve, I have played a key role in the growth of the London office, while also supporting the agency’s wider international expansion.

I am passionate about the sponsorship industry and the role it plays in driving innovation, creating meaningful connections between brands and audiences, and continually pushing the boundaries of live experiences. Throughout my career, I have worked across a broad range of brands, rights-holders and sporting properties, with a particular focus on developing and delivering strategic sponsorship platforms and integrated activations.

Most notably, I have worked with DIAGEO for over a decade, leading Verve’s long-term relationship as its retained sponsorship agency and working across a number of its leading brands and global sporting partnerships.

Sam Seddon

Ormsdale Associates
UK
Director

LinkedIn

Sam has 20+ years across technology, sponsorship and brand leadership. He is passionate about sport and partnerships as a vehicle to drive positive impacts and societal change. He combines strategy consultancy, business development and marketing expertise to design and grow partnerships that deliver commercial value and social impact without compromise on any dimension.

He has worked with some of the biggest brands in the world across B2B (IBM, DXC, Hiscox), with premium sports partners (Wimbledon, Scuderia Ferrari, Manchester United) and NGBs (England Rugby, GB Wheelchair Rugby). Through this he has developed a unique perspetive on how to build meaningful relationships and innovative partnerships that authentically link across rights holders, communities and brands.

Mandip Sehmi

Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby
UK
Partnerships Lead

LinkedIn

Mandip Sehmi is Partnership Lead at GB Wheelchair Rugby, where he is responsible for developing strategic partnerships and creating opportunities for businesses to align with the organisation’s sporting, commercial and social impact objectives. He also serves as a trustee of GB Wheelchair Rugby.

A triple Paralympian, Mandip represented Great Britain in wheelchair rugby at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016, winning three European Championships during his international career. Since transitioning from elite sport, he has used his experience across sport, business and disability inclusion to build partnerships that deliver meaningful value for organisations, athletes and communities.

Mandip brings a unique perspective to sponsorship, combining rights-holder experience with an athlete’s understanding of performance, purpose and impact. He is passionate about recognising partnerships that go beyond visibility to create genuine, measurable and lasting change.

James Sephton

Performance Communications
UK
Director

LinkedIn

I am a passionate sponsorship and media professional with over 20 year’s experience working with big sport, automotive and FMCG brands.

I have provided trusted counsel across a range of sponsorship and media relations challenges over the years and am now working in the world of sports sponsorship.

Recent work includes introducing the automotive brand, CUPRA, to the sport of padel in the UK, activating a front of shirt sponsorship for QPR and maximising golf deals including the Genesis Scottish Open for the title partner.

Jasmin Sharpe

Sage
UK
Sponsorship Manager

LinkedIn

As Sponsorship Manager at Sage, I am responsible for leading the activation of the company’s strategic partnership with the English Football League (EFL).

With over five years’ experience in partnerships & sponsorship, I specialise in rights delivery, stakeholder management, integrated marketing campaigns and commercial activation across sport.

Currently, I oversee the day-to-day delivery of Sage’s EFL partnership, working across content, events, fan engagement, customer marketing and campaign measurement.

Prior to this, I supported the activation of Sage’s wider sponsorship portfolio, including the Six Nations and The Hundred, as well as delivering partnerships at Zapp, where I managed relationships with Chelsea FC and other major event and entertainment properties. In 2025, I completed the ESA Diploma, achieving a Highly Commended result.

Outside of work, I am a passionate sports fan and former England U23 Lacrosse player, more recently discovering a love for padel and playing in a weekly netball league.

Katrina Sherratt

Octagon
UK
Group Director

LinkedIn

Katrina specialises in global sponsorship strategy, client leadership and integrated sports marketing. With almost a decade at Octagon, she has led complex, international partnerships across tennis, football and wider sport.

A recognised tennis subject-matter expert within Octagon, Katrina combines a lifelong connection to the sport with extensive commercial experience spanning sponsorship strategy, partnership activation, content and fan engagement. Recent work includes helping shape Accenture’s global partnership with the WTA, as well as contributing to the evolution of the brand’s broader narrative across key moments in the tennis calendar.

Beyond tennis, Katrina leads high-performing teams on major global football partnerships, including UEFA Champions League, helping brands translate rights into culturally resonant fan experiences across multiple markets.

A former LTA-qualified tennis coach, Katrina brings a perspective that spanning from grassroots participation through to the highest levels of global sports marketing.

Amar Singh

MKTG Sports and Entertainment
UK
SVP, Content + Creative

LinkedIn

Amar Singh is SVP Content and Creative Strategy at MKTG Sports + Entertainment, part of Dentsu, where he leads campaigns for some of the world’s most recognised brands across football, motorsport, rugby and entertainment.

Previously Head of Football Strategy for Budweiser at AB InBev and Head of Content at West Ham United, he has spent more than 15 years operating at the heart of sport commercially, editorially and creatively.

A former Managing Editor at Goal and Digital Sports Editor at the London Evening Standard, he is also the founder of The Sports Marketeer, an award-winning newsletter and podcast reaching nearly 1,500 subscribers across 94 countries.

Amar is also Professor at the Football Business Academy, a columnist for platforms including City AM and The Drum. Amar also sits on the ESA EDI Taskforce.

Rob Singleton

Aviva
UK
Group Sponsorship Lead

LinkedIn

Rob is Group Sponsorship Lead at Aviva, where he leads the development and delivery of strategic partnerships that build brand reputation, create meaningful audience engagement and deliver measurable business outcomes. Since joining Aviva in 2021, he has played a key role in a number of high-profile partnerships, including the launch of Aviva Studios in Manchester, Aviva Arena in Bristol, and Aviva’s collaboration with Amazon Music’s City Sessions.

With more than 15 years’ experience across agency, rights holder and brand-side roles, Rob brings a broad perspective to the sponsorship industry. His career has included work with Norwich Union’s British Athletics sponsorship, Rugby League World Cup 2013, the Rugby Football League, UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, Gillette, Marriott, Specsavers and Vodafone.

Passionate about connecting brands with audiences through the things they care about most, Rob specialises in creating partnership strategies that combine creativity, effectiveness and strong governance to deliver lasting impact.

Kevin Smit

TeamViewer
UK
Team Manager – Sports & Global Events

LinkedIn

Kevin leads TeamViewer’s global event and sports partnership team across the company’s international portfolio. With experience spanning corporate events, experiential marketing, hospitality, sponsorship activation, and audience engagement, Kevin works closely with senior leaders, customers and sports partners to create meaningful experiences that deliver measurable business impact.

Throughout his career, he has led large-scale events, executive programs, customer engagement initiatives, and high-profile sports partnerships, helping global brands connect more effectively with their audiences. Kevin is passionate about elevating event experiences, fostering innovation, and driving industry best practices.

Teresa Soares

COTIF Sub20 L’Alcudia
UK
Commercial & Sponsorship Strategy Consultant

LinkedIn

I am a senior commercial strategist with international experience across sport, media, partnerships and content distribution. I currently work with COTIF, the international U20 football tournament in Spain, developing its commercial and partnership strategy, sponsorship approach and audience value.

My career includes senior commercial roles at Squirrel Media and work with organisations and projects including The Ocean Race, BBC StoryWorks and Ogilvy, as well as international broadcasters and platforms.

I am an ESA Sponsorship Sales Certificate alumna and have also studied behavioural science and creative strategy with Rory Sutherland. My experience brings together commercial strategy, media, rights, audience development and emerging technologies, with a particular interest in creating partnerships that deliver meaningful value for brands, rights holders and audiences.

Abby Stanworth

LW Theatres
UK
Director of Partnerships

LinkedIn

Abby is a seasoned partnership specialist with over 18 years of experience across the media and entertainment industries. She’s held numerous roles at leading organisations including ITV, Starcom, and mSix&Partners, and is currently Director of Partnerships at LW Theatres, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s West End theatre group.

At LW Theatres, Abby leads the strategic development, sourcing and delivery of brand partnerships across six iconic London venues, including The London Palladium and Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Her deep expertise spans the full media spectrum—from traditional broadcast to cutting-edge digital platforms—allowing her to craft partnerships that are both forward-thinking and rooted in meaningful engagement. Abby is a vocal advocate for partnerships that go beyond surface-level branding, championing long-term, collaborative relationships that deliver measurable impact. This philosophy has underpinned numerous award-winning campaigns throughout her career.

Hendrik Stich

Hankook Tire Europe
GERMANY
Head of Sports Marketing & Brand Partnerships

LinkedIn

I am Head of Sports Marketing & Brand Partnerships Europe at Hankook Tire Europe, where I lead the company’s European sports marketing and partnership strategy and oversee an annual eight-figure sponsorship portfolio.

Over the past 15 years, I have built a unique 360-degree perspective across the sponsorship industry through leadership roles on the brand side, within agencies and in close collaboration with rights holders.

My experience includes leading strategic partnerships with UEFA club competitions, Ballon d’Or, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund or Formula E, while previously delivering international projects for the German Football Association (DFB), Coca-Cola and Lufthansa. I completed the ESA Diploma in Sponsorship with Highly Commended and the UEFA Diploma in Football Leadership and Management with Distinction. I am passionate about combining strategic leadership with measurable sponsorship effectiveness and commercial impact.

Ed Stocker

IBM
UK
EMEA Sports & Entertainment

LinkedIn

Ed has more than 10 years of experience across the sponsorship industry and has built a strong track record delivering impactful global partnerships and award-winning campaigns.

Having worked across agency, rights holder and brand environments, Ed brings a well-rounded perspective to sponsorship strategy, activation and partner management.

Ed currently works in the Sports & Entertainment Partnerships team at IBM, leading the historic Wimbledon partnership, overseeing activation and delivery for one of the world’s most iconic sporting events.

Throughout his career, Ed has developed and executed innovative campaigns that drive both commercial and cultural impact. His work was even recognised at the 2026 ESA Awards, with Three UK’s #TalkMoreThanFootball campaign winning both “Best Use of Talent” and “Sponsorship with a Social Purpose”.

Ria Thomas

Vodafone
UK
Senior Sponsorship & Activation Manager

LinkedIn

Ria is a Senior Sponsorship Activation Manager at Vodafone, with over 16 years’ experience across sponsorship, experiential, events and PR. She has worked with some of the UK’s biggest brands to develop and deliver impactful partnerships and campaigns spanning music, sport, culture and live events.

Her experience includes leading high-profile brand activations at major festivals and sporting events, managing sponsorship rights and partnerships, and collaborating with talent ranging from emerging micro-influencers to A-list music artists. With a strong background in brand storytelling, production and activation, Ria brings a broad and practical perspective to the judging process. She has a particular interest in fan insight and the thinking behind successful sponsorships — from the strength of the strategic idea and creativity of the execution, to audience engagement, cultural relevance and measurable commercial impact.

Jon Tibbs

JTA
UK
Chairman & Founder

LinkedIn

CEO & Founder of JTA and its digital transformation offer, neo.

Highly skilled PR & Communications professional with 25+ year experience in international sport, helping International Federations, governing bodies and clubs to achieve their objectives in international sport by providing unrivalled strategy, creativity and content in the international relations and communications sector.

Lauren Tones

Legends Global
UK
UK Partnerships Director

LinkedIn

Lauren Tones is UK Partnerships Director at Legends Global, leading the partnerships activation team and driving brand partnership growth across renowned entertainment and venue properties.

With nearly 20 years’ experience in sponsorship, Lauren has worked across some of the UK’s most iconic venues, including The O2, Wembley Arena and O2 Academy venues. During her time at AEG, she managed The O2’s naming rights partnership with Telefónica O2, alongside high-profile brand relationships including AB InBev, Sky and Lanson.

Today, Lauren specialises in delivering commercially impactful partnerships that connect brands with audiences through live entertainment. Working across leading venues and destinations, including AO Arena, first direct bank arena and Outernet London, she helps brands create meaningful fan engagement and measurable business results.

Leyla Toothill

British Olympic Association
UK
Senior Commercial Partnership Manager

LinkedIn

Leyla is a senior commercial partnerships professional with over 15 years’ experience across sport, charity and purpose-led organisations. She is currently Senior Commercial Partnerships Manager at the British Olympic Association, where she leads a portfolio of global brands including Aldi, British Gas and TikTok.

With seven years’ experience within the Olympic Movement, Leyla has worked across more than 30 sports and seven Olympic and European Games, developing and delivering partnerships spanning strategy, activation, digital, content, athlete marketing and events. She has a particular passion for creating partnerships that deliver meaningful commercial value, audience engagement and positive social impact.

Previously, Leyla worked at Macmillan Cancer Support, developing purpose-led partnerships with major brands. She brings experience from both the rights-holder and charity perspectives, alongside a strong understanding of how effective sponsorship can connect brand, business and audience objectives.

Jamileh Tufail

Raymond James (previously, Charles Stanley)
UK
Head of Brand & Creative

LinkedIn

Jamileh Tufail is a brand and marketing leader with more than 25 years’ international experience building commercially successful brands through strategic partnerships, content and customer engagement.

She has led award-winning sponsorship programmes across financial services, including the Welsh Rugby Union, Principality Stadium and Metro Bank’s pioneering partnership with the ECB, earning multiple UK European Sponsorship Awards.

Today, as Head of Brand & Creative at Raymond James (previously Charles Stanley), Jamileh is leading the firm’s brand transformation during which time she’s worked on its high-profile partnerships with Harlequins Rugby and the National Theatre.

She is passionate about creating sponsorships that deliver meaningful business impact alongside authentic cultural and community value.

Tonje Tuntland

Lyse Tele AS, ice
NORWAY
Sponsorship Manager

LinkedIn

With over 15 years of experience across sales, marketing, sponsorship and sponsorship activation, I have worked within academics for BI Norwegian Business School, the sports industry for Stavanger Oilers ice hockey team, Norway’s largest financial group DNB Bank ASA and now in the telecom industry at Lyse Tele for ice. Lyse Tele is one of the largest and leading infrastructure and telecommunications service providers in Norway. Lyse possesses very modern and nationwide digital infrastructure, and now has the same share of 5G frequencies as the largest player in the market. Our goal is to roll out 5G across the country for both mobile telephony and wireless broadband to increase customer experiences.

In my current role as Sponsorship Manager for ice, I am responsible for the brands commercial sponsorship portfolio and activation across Norway.

I’ve previously judged ESA Awards and also the Norwegian Sponsor and Event Awards for the Sponsor and Event Association in Norway over several years.

Jonathan Turner

ROCKWOOL Group
SPAIN
Creative Director (Global Partnerships Lead)

LinkedIn

Jonathan Turner is Marketing Director of the ROCKWOOL Racing SailGP Team, and a key part of the founding team that has built the franchise from launch into a global sports platform, shattering the world sailing speed record on the water, and leading to an acquisition at a record-breaking valuation in professional sailing, in early 2026.

He also leads global creative, experiences and sponsorship/partnership strategy for ROCKWOOL Group. With 15+ years across sport, media and entertainment, Jonathan’s career spans work with brands, rights holders, agencies, major events and platforms including Red Bull Media House, Twitter, Snapchat and Olympic Games bids. His work has received multiple industry awards, and he has been named a Clio Awards Rising Star in creative and sports marketing. Having operated on both sides of the sponsorship relationship, he brings a practical perspective on what separates great partnerships from simply good marketing.

Neal Van Loock

UCLL
BELGIUM
Lecturer Event Sponsorship

LinkedIn

I am coordinator of and lecturer in the elective track Event & Project Management under the bachelor degree Organisation & Management at University College Leuven Limburg in Belgium.

I teach courses as Event Management, Event Trends & Skills, Event Production and Event Sponsorship so our students can become event professionals.

My favourite part within event organisation is by far event sponsorship, probably due to my different educational and professional backgrounds coming together nicely: event management, marketing and communication sciences.

Last four years I had the honour to be judge for the Awards and that was so inspiring!

Victor Voicu

MATCHPLAN
ROMANIA
Managing Partner

LinkedIn

I am Managing Partner and Co-Founder of MATCHPLAN, an independent sports marketing and sponsorship agency focused on shaping and maximizing partnerships between brands and the sports ecosystem.

I have over 10 years of experience across marketing, communications, sports and sponsorship, working on both the brand and agency sides and developing strategies and integrated projects for leading companies, sports organizations, federations, clubs and athletes in Romania.

At MATCHPLAN, I oversee business development, sponsorship strategy and management, partnership activation, communications and commercial projects across football, handball, rowing and other sports.
I am passionate about the evolution of the sports industry and about creating partnerships that go beyond visibility — building relevant, measurable and long-term value for both brands and rights holders.

Svetlana von Hanau

Dentsu Sports International
UK
SVP, Hospitality & Events

LinkedIn

With 15+ years of experience delivering global sponsorship, hospitality and experiential programmes, I am SVP, Hospitality & Events at MKTG. I lead a 20-person team across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, creating experiences around Formula 1, the UEFA Champions League, Premier League clubs and other major partnerships.

My client portfolio includes global brands such as AB InBev, P&G, Coca-Cola, Cisco, Visa, Mastercard, Standard Chartered and The North Face. Throughout my career, I have worked across many of the world’s most iconic sporting and music events, including the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cups, UEFA EUROs, UEFA Champions League Finals, the NBA, Super Bowl, Tomorrowland, Coachella and Lollapalooza.

Having delivered programmes everywhere from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and Old Trafford in Manchester to Jeffrey’s Bay in South Africa and the beaches of Tahiti, I combine global strategic perspective with hands-on operational expertise to create world-class experiences for brands, partners and guests.

Oli Walsh

One More Way
UK
Founder

LinkedIn

Oli is a global sponsorship and partnerships leader with over 20 years of experience shaping high-impact strategy and building commercial capability across brand, rights holder, and agency sides for leaders like British American Tobacco, HTC, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and TAG Heuer. He has led the negotiation and activation of over £500M in global partnerships across motorsport, football, golf, and entertainment, delivering standout campaigns with McLaren Racing, Alpine F1, UEFA, and the European Tour, and talent including Jose Mourinho, Lando Norris, Naomi Osaka and Ryan Gosling.

His broad perspective includes driving NGO impact by using football for HIV prevention around the 2010 World Cup. Known for combining robust ROI frameworks with creative execution, Oli consistently drives double-digit brand awareness and multi-million-pound revenue growth.

Birgitta Wasserfall

Champions Uncovered
SOUTH AFRICA
Account Director

LinkedIn

Birgitta has always had an interest in the business of sport, having graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Science and worked on several high profile sports events namely; ICC T20 World Cup, IPL, FIFA World Cup, Wimbledon Championships, UEFA Euro and SA2O.

Birgitta’s sponsorship experience ranges from Agency (UK) sponsorship activations for international brands to securing sponsorships for Rights Holders for mass participation events in South Africa.
Currently a consultant for various sports properties, varying from concept phase to more established events.

Birgitta is a graduate of the European Sponsorship Association Diploma programme.

Calum Watkins

Sony PlayStation
UK
Senior Global Sponsorship Manager

LinkedIn

Calum is responsible for the global execution of PlayStation’s sponsorship portfolio, with a particular focus on the organisation’s UEFA football partnerships.

Passionate about the power of sport to drive brand growth, Calum brings a strategic, creative and global mindset to campaign development, cross-market activation and rights management, helping PlayStation create meaningful connections with fans around the world.

Paul Whitehead

Adored Sports & Entertainment
UK
Founder & CEO

LinkedIn

Paul Whitehead is the Founder and CEO of Adored Sports & Entertainment, a strategy agency that helps brands, rights holders and talent grow through marketing effectiveness and creative experimentation.

Over more than 20 years, Paul has advised global brands including Coca-Cola, Guinness, Martini, Sky, BP, Beko and Canva. Alongside leading sports properties and organisations such as FIFA, UEFA, FC Barcelona, Williams F1 and the Paralympics.

His work spans sponsorship strategy, valuation, negotiation, integrated activation and evaluation.

Paul also works directly with high-profile athletes to build their personal brands and is an advisor to One of One, an AI studio focused on licensed digital identities for athletes.

A sponsorship evangelist Paul believes the best sponsorships combine deep audience understanding, non-conventional thinking, creative bravery, and measurable business value.

Jamie Wilson

The ValueXchange
UK
Co-Owner

LinkedIn

Co-Owner of The Valuexchange, a sports and marketing agency dedicated to ensuring partnerships are utilised as a platform for communication that delivers outcomes for brands.

Bryan Winning

Cabinet Office
UK
Deputy Commercial Director – Government Commercial Sponsorship

LinkedIn

I lead the UK Government’s internal sponsorship agency, responsible for creating partnerships with industry in the UK and around the world. Projects have included COP Climate Summits, World Expos, Birmingham Commonwealth Games, FIFA World Cup Doha, DFE Breakfast in Schools, Great Campaign, NHS and British Council.

I have 25+ years experience as a commercial leader in business development, partnerships and sponsorship working with major events, sports, cultural & entertainment rights holders, government organisations and global brands in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

I live in Edinburgh with my wife and 3 children. I am a keen rugby fan and have recently been bitten by the Hyrox bug.

Peter Wood

North Star Sport
UK
Founder

LinkedIn

I’m the Founder of North Star Sport, helping organisations navigate an increasingly complex sports partnership landscape, from strategy and opportunity identification through to deal structuring, activation and performance.

Previously, at Fuse and 50 Sport, I led the negotiation and delivery of multi-million-pound partnerships for brands including Vodafone, Intel, Visa, Nissan, FedEx and Qatar Airways across multiple sports.

My work has spanned some of sport’s biggest properties and most innovative partnerships, including Nissan’s purpose-led Possibilities Project across Formula E, Manchester City and mass participation running; Intel’s technology integration with La Liga; Ziggo’s sponsorship of Ajax and disruptive fan-led work for Nottingham Forest and Bally Bet.

Having founded North Star Sport, I’m now focused on developing new approaches to partnership decision-making, including Future Fit OS, a proprietary operating system designed to help brands and rights holders build better, more effective partnerships.