Leaders in Conversation: Atlanta Hawks’ Melissa Proctor

Atlanta Hawks CMO Melissa Proctor in conversation with Leaders Head of Content David Cushnan. 

Melissa Proctor is an accomplished leader with 20 years of experience across sports and entertainment. She began her professional life with Turner Broadcasting as an intern, before going on to assume multiple roles during a nine-year stint, such as Director of Insights & Inspiration for the Turner Media Group, Senior Director of Strategy Development at Cartoon Network & Adult Swim, and eventually VP of Brand Marketing & Content at upwave.  

Proctor joined the Atlanta Hawks in 2014 as the Vice President of Brand Strategy and quickly rose up the ranks, first assuming the role of Senior Vice President of Strategy in 2015, and then to Executive VP and CMO in 2016. Her interest in the NBA first began as a teenager when she was the first ball girl for the Miami Heat, an experience that went on to inspire the title of her bestselling book ‘From Ball Girl to CMO’. 

In an insightful conversation conducted live as part of our Leaders Sport Business Summit Abu Dhabi in mid-March, Proctor reveals how the leading NBA franchise is cornering international markets, delving into the details behind the international strategy, the process of working with key stakeholders in new regions and the balance between global expansion and serving the home fanbase.  

She also offers her valuable perspective on how the role of CMO has changed in an increasingly digital world, the importance of being a civic asset and how the unique nature of Atlanta as a city informs her marketing approach.