Leaders Worth Knowing Podcast

In conversation with the Chief Commercial Officer at the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. This is the Blueprint, the podcast brought to you by Leaders and Deltatre about straightforward strategic thinking in sport. This series teases out insights from leading industry executives about how they strategise. They’ll provide a fresh perspective on sports' most recognisable organisations, with real life examples of where strategy worked (or didn’t). In this episode, Heidi Pellerano, who leads commercial initiatives at CONCACAF, joins Leaders’ Content Director David Cushnan and Deltatre’s Commercial Strategy Lead Max Barnett to outline her approach to strategic thinking, how and why investing in data is critical, and how working with member associations requires a flexible strategy. 

Leaders in EDI shines a light on the progress being made and the challenges being faced in the equity, diversity and inclusion space across sport and neighbouring industries. This season of the Leaders in EDI podcast series features perspectives from outside of the sports industry to develop a more holistic view of the EDI sector, to discuss what specific challenges other industries face, and to understand what we can learn from how they tackle them. Joanna Abeyie is a journalist, broadcaster and social impact entrepreneur who has spent the last 15 years committed to the EDI sector. She is Founder and MD of Blue Moon and Partners, an organisation designed to find the best talent for business and create inclusive environments for employees to thrive and drive business success. She is also Co-Secretariat at Creative Diversity APPG, a cross-party group in UK Parliament to identify and tackle obstacles to diversity in the creative sector, and acts as Commissioner at Civil Service Commission UK and Common Councillor at City of London. She recently stepped down as Head of Creative Diversity at the BBC, where she was tasked with ensuring on-air diversity and inclusions strategies across the broadcaster. The wide-ranging conversation, beginning at 3:05, includes insights into facilitating communication with and between production companies and commissioners, avoidance of stereotypes, and the current lack of socioeconomic inclusion in the creative industry - as well as talk around the best ways to implement EDI strategies, reliability of data (or lack thereof) and what more sport can do to mobilise against discrimination. 

The Blueprint returns with a conversation with the EVP of Business Operations & Chief Strategy Officer at one of the most storied team brands in sport. This is the Blueprint, the podcast brought to you by Leaders and Deltatre about straightforward strategic thinking in sport.This series teases out insights from leading industry executives about how they strategise. They’ll provide a fresh perspective on sport’s most recognisable organisations, with real life examples of where strategy worked (or didn’t).Kicking off season two is Alex Sugarman Executive Vice President of Business Operations and Chief Strategy Officer at the Chicago Cubs. Having spent 13 years at the famed franchise, Sugarman joins Leaders’ Content Director David Cushnan and Deltatre’s Commercial Strategy Lead Max Barnett for a conversation covering how to work with ownership and operationalise their goals, measuring your strategy framework, and aligning with other local teams.

A perspective on the music & events industry from the man who brought #Merky Festival to Ibiza before making his mark at the world’s leading talent agency.Leaders in EDI shines a light on the progress being made and the challenges being faced in the equity, diversity and inclusion space across sport and neighbouring industries. This season of the Leaders in EDI podcast series will feature perspectives from outside of the sports industry to develop a more holistic view of the EDI sector, to discuss what specific challenges other industries face, and to understand what we can learn from how they tackle them.This episode features Jordan Hallpike speaking on the music and events industry. Hallpike holds the unique title of Crossover agent at WME, a world-class entertainment agency whose music roster features the likes of Adele, Bruno Mars, The Killers and Olivia Rodrigo. Prior to starting his current role in April 2022, wherein he facilitates new creative opportunities for WME’s esteemed roster of talent, Hallpike held the position of Director of Talent and Programming at Ibiza Rocks group. Having first joined the organisation in 2011, throughout his time there Jordan oversaw the expansion of Ibiza Rocks events from evening events to pool parties - successfully launching a residency with Craig David - and went on to conceptualise the #Merky Festival, which quickly became an Ibiza staple. Hallpike has also co-founded Applebum events (which celebrate Black and street culture) and creative design studio Midnight Movement.The insightful and engaging conversation, beginning at 5:07, includes talk of socioeconomic barriers to entry, the glass ceiling for minorities, gender imbalance and where the sports industry is learning from the music industry – as well as discussions on platforming artists from all backgrounds, and helping them to forge a brand and legacy.

The Founder of Black Eats LDN joins the series to discuss inclusivity in an industry that, through necessity, affects every living person.Leaders in EDI shines a light on the progress being made and the challenges being faced in the equity, diversity and inclusion space across sport and neighbouring industries. This season of the Leaders in EDI podcast series will feature perspectives from outside of the sports industry to develop a more holistic view of the EDI sector, to discuss what specific challenges other industries face, and to understand what we can learn from how they tackle them.This episode features Jackson Mclarty, speaking on the food, beverage & hospitality industry. Mclarty is the Founder of Black Eats LDN, the UK’s first and (so far) only Black-owned restaurant directory. The organisation is a purpose-led platform that offering resources, consultancy services and curates exciting events content in order to platform Black-owned business and offer others the opportunity to engage with the culture. The organisation has hosted events that have seen 150,000+ attendees, and features 300+ restaurants with brand partners including Uber and Apple.The conversation, beginning at 4.27, includes conversation around appropriation vs. appreciation, the importance of affordability, how and why the traditional gender role of ‘woman as cook’ is not reflected in the number of professional chefs, and how diversifying food options at sports venues could positively impact the fan experience.

This is Threats, a podcast about the changing sports media landscape and the conditions that threaten to undermine the traditional model.In this series, Leaders’ Editorial Director James Emmett and Synamedia’s Head of Sport Simon Brydon will identify the conditions that threaten to undermine the traditional model. Alongside a handful of prominent industry experts, they also explore ways that leaders can navigate the ever-evolving sports broadcast space for optimum success in the field.This episode focuses on innovation – how ever-changing technology provides both challenges and opportunities, and how to maximise on the latter. The featured guest is Sharon Fuller, VP of Content and Social for Europe and the Middle East at the NBA, who prior to joining the organisation in February held prominent content positions at Red Bull Media House and at the UK’s very first broadcast innovator, the BBC.

This is Threats, a podcast about the changing sports media landscape and the conditions that threaten to undermine the traditional model.In this series, Leaders’ Editorial Director James Emmett and Synamedia’s Head of Sport Simon Brydon will identify the conditions that threaten to undermine the traditional model, and alongside a handful of prominent industry experts, explore ways that leaders can use these challenges as opportunities for innovation.This episode focuses on choice and price, featuring a discussion with Sebastien Audoux around the difficulties in engaging an audience that already has an abundance of offerings. Audoux is a content technology rights specialist who followed a 15-year television career as a sports commentator with a stint as Head of Sports Digital Content at Canal+. He now works with numerous clients as an independent consultant, and holds board member positions at HYPE Sports Innovation and Decyfr Sport.

This is Threats, a podcast about the changing sports media landscape and the conditions that threaten to undermine the traditional model.In this series, Leaders’ Editorial Director James Emmett and Synamedia’s Head of Sport Simon Brydon will identify the conditions that threaten to undermine the traditional model, and alongside a handful of prominent industry experts, explore ways that leaders can use these challenges as opportunities for innovation.The first episode in the series features a conversation with Rhys Beer, with focus on viewing habits and Gen Z. Rhys Beer, who currently serves as SVP Platform & Content at OneFootball, has 20+ years of extensive experience in the sports media landscape across traditional and emerging platforms. Starting with his role as a Media Rights Manager at the FA, Beer went on to hold positions such as Commercial Director – Media at DAZN Group, VP, Sports Distribution & Business Development at NBCUniversal and Head of Content Strategy & Programming, International at Meta.

Reviewing the action from the new event experience where sport meets entertainment, lifestyle and culture.Leaders on the Ground takes you behind-the-scenes at our in-person events, where our team recap the goings-on and key takeaways from the on-stage sessions. This week, the Leaders Team have been in New York, working with sister company Sports Business Journal, for the big launch of 4SE following a pilot event last year. 4SE is a unique event experience that provides a much-needed opportunity for senior executives to explore and navigate the collision of sport, entertainment, lifestyle and culture.In the episode, Leaders Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan elaborate on the intentions and objectives of 4se, and identify and discuss key themes and takeaways from the sessions – all followed by an insightful conversation with Elke Jones, Chief Strategy Officer at GMR Marketing. The analysis also features snippets from the on-stage content, featuring speakers such as Eli Manning, Fat Joe, the CMO of New Balance and the VP Creative of New Era.4SE, at the intersection of sport, entertainment, lifestyle and culture, is due to become an annual fixture in the calendar each year in May. To find out more, please visit our website at www.4-se.com.Editor's Note: This was recorded on site, so there may be some slight distortion in the audio, but this should not take away from your listening experience.

For our season finale of Leaders Live, IMG’s EVP of Head of Global Production joins the show to run the rule over the sports broadcast and production sector.Leaders Live, produced in partnership with IMG, is our studio talk show on hot button issues in the industry, featuring conversations with leaders from across sport.This edition features former Sky Sports chief and current EVP, Head of Global Production at IMG, Barney Francis, who offers his industry-wide assessment of the sports broadcast space. With Leaders’ Content Director David Cushnan and Editorial Director James Emmett, Francis explains who’s innovating and where the big technical and creative leaps are happening, pinpoints the sector’s biggest challenges and details why it’s never been a more exciting time to be in the sports production game.Francis also takes the Leaders team behind the scenes of IMG Studios at Stockley Park in West London, the home of Premier League Productions, CBS Sports’ Uefa Champions League coverage, ITV’s EFL highlights show and a multitude of other sports programming and production. To watch the broadcast in video, you can visit: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/leaders-executive-sport-ltd-_leaders-live-inside-img-studios-behind-activity-7062426189507751937-lcQx?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop