Meet the leaders joining WFS Madrid 2025

Influential decision-makers gathered to design the football we need.

Confirmed speakers at WFS Madrid 2025

Confirmed speakers at
WFS Madrid 2025

Grace

Ahrens

Executive Director – Women in Soccer

Grace

Ahrens

Grace Ahrens is the Executive Director of Women in Soccer, an organization committed to creating opportunities for women and people with underrepresented gender identities who work (or want to work) in soccer. Growing up in Mexico and with over 10 years of experience in workforce development, branding and media, she brings a deep understanding of diversity and expertise in driving inclusive solutions.

Shayne

Allise

Founder & CEO – 3XV Sports

Shayne

Allise

Shayne Allise, a former pro athlete and founder of 3XV Sports, earned USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals by 25. Early on, she secured sponsorships by mailing photos and letters to brands. Her journey across the US, Europe, and the Middle East exposed inequities in sport, inspiring her to launch 3XV to empower future athletes and challenge traditional power structures.

Razan

Amoush

Football reporter and senior producer – Independent

Razan

Amoush

Razan is a seasoned football reporter and producer with over a decade of experience in the industry. Holding a Master’s degree in Public Policy, she brings a unique perspective to sports journalism, combining analytical skills with her passion for storytelling. Her love for football began before she even watched cartoons, shaping a lifelong dedication to the sport. Razan has worked extensively with international players, creating compelling content that showcases their journeys both on and off the pitch.

Greg

Baker

Chief Revenue Officer – Southampton Football Club

Greg

Baker

Greg Baker is currently Chief Revenue Officer at Southampton Football Club, leading the club’s Commercial teams, delivering their Ticketing, Hospitality, Catering & Events, Commercial Partnerships, Football Partnerships, Marketing, Content and Digital functions. A lifelong fan of the club, he has been with Saints for more than a decade, with the majority of that time spent as Chief Executive Officer of Saints Foundation, the club’s charity.

Greg

Bettinelli

Partner – The Chernin Group

Greg

Bettinelli

Greg Bettinelli is a Partner at TCG, investing in sports, media, and passion-led brands. Formerly at Upfront Ventures, he backed companies like GOAT and ThredUp. He was CMO at HauteLook (acquired by Nordstrom), held executive roles at Live Nation, and led StubHub’s acquisition while at eBay. He sits on several boards and holds a BA from the University of San Diego and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

Michael

Broughton

Sports Industry Consultant & Advisor

Michael

Broughton

“For over two decades Michael has worked across the top levels of sports, media, and technology. In addition to his role as an OTT Sports principal and co-host, he is also a partner at Acceleration Equity, based in London. He has served as a senior executive at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, responsible for its strategic relationships and investment strategy with big data and tech companies globally, while also supporting its emerging Gaming and eSports group.”

Carlos

Canto

CEO – SPSG Consulting

Carlos

Canto

Carlos Cantó has over 30 years of experience in sports and entertainment. Former VP at IMG and Lagardère Sports, he founded SPSG Consulting in 2016. He serves on the boards of AMKT and BStadium, was a board member at RC Deportivo, and teaches at ESADE, IE, and LALIGA Business School. He holds a BBA and MBA from ESADE and studied at HEC Paris through CEMS.

Fernando

Carro

CEO – Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH

Fernando

Carro

Teresa

Carvi

Production Manager Director – Mediapro

Teresa

Carvi

I am a Produccion Manager and purpose-driven leader with over 25 years of experience in the sports media industry. As Head of Production at LaLiga’s international channel, I’ve led teams and projects that bring football’s emotion and complexity to the screen with creativity and coherence. My journey has expanded beyond production into exploring how sport, especially football, can become a platform for transformation: raising awareness, promoting ethical leadership, and reconnecting us with values that matter.

Valentín

Díaz

President – VISIT BUE

Valentín

Díaz

Valentín Díaz Gilligan currently work as President at the Ente de Turismo and Visit Buenos Aires of the City of Buenos Aires. He also holds the position of President of International Relations and Board Member (Vocal) at Club Atlético River Plate. In the private sector, he has worked for the Techint Organization, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Grupo Insud, and has participated in projects within the tourism industry.

Kristian

Dobrev

Deputy CEO – The Football Business Academy

Kristian

Dobrev

As Co-Founder and Deputy CEO of The FBA, Kristian has focused on using education as a platform to accelerate the professionalization of the football industry. With nearly 100 partnerships and hundreds of learners impacted, he and his team have positioned The FBA as a global leader in football business education.

Ricardo

Fort

Founder – Sport By Fort Consulting

Ricardo

Fort

Ricardo Fort is one of the most respected names in the global sponsorship business. As the only executive to lead the Global Sponsorship Departments of two FIFA and IOC sponsors – Visa and Coca-Cola – he successfully negotiated billions of dollars in sponsorship contracts with the International Olympic Committee, FIFA, UEFA, athletes, the NFL, Formula 1 and Formula 1 teams, and many other worldwide sports and entertainment properties.

Ben

Jacobs

Sports Broadcaster – TalkSPORT

Ben

Jacobs

Sports journalist with talkSPORT and GiveMeSport.

Lise

Klaveness

Football President – Norwegian Football Association

Lise

Klaveness

During a 14-year professional career, Lise Klaveness earned 73 caps for Norway and finished as a runner-up at UEFA Women’s EURO 2005. She also helped Swedish club Umeå FC reach the 2007 UEFA Women’s Cup final. While playing, she earned a master’s degree in law, subsequently working as an assistant judge in the Oslo district court and as a special adviser to Norway’s central bank.A return to football came in 2018 when Klaveness was named technical director at the Football Association of Norway (NFF).

Kike

Levy

Head of NJF Sports & Media

Kike

Levy

Kike Levy is an entrepreneur and sports media executive with over a decade of experience at the forefront of the sports, media, and technology intersection. He is currently leading NJF Sports and Media, a pioneering sports investment firm that connects visionary entrepreneurs, investors, and sports properties to redefine the industry.

Jovin

Matovu

Chief Commercial Officer – Uganda Premier League

Jovin

Matovu

Matovu Jovin is the Chief Commercial Officer of the Uganda Premier League, where he oversees broadcast sales, sponsorships, and strategic commercial partnerships to drive the growth of Uganda’s top-tier football competition. With a strong background in media and advertising, he previously served as Business Manager at Nation Media Group, where he led commercial operations across multiple platforms.

Peter

Moore

Owner – Santa Barbara Sky Football club

Peter

Moore

Currently the Owner of Santa Barbara Sky Football Club, Peter Moore brings his vast experience from many leadership roles in major sports and entertainment brands like Liverpool FC, EA Sports, etc to the local football scene. His passion now lies in building a successful and community-focused club.

Vasily

Odintsov

CFO – FC Zenit

Vasily

Odintsov

Big4 experience before sports

Pedro

Pinto

CEO – Empower Sports

Pedro

Pinto

I am the founder and CEO of a sports communications agency called Empower Sports. We advise athletes, coaches, clubs, sports organisations and brands on communications, PR and digital content. I currently also work with ELEVEN in Portugal, as a presenter and executive producer of content. Before starting my own business, I worked in the sporting industry for 20 years as a journalist, broadcaster and communications director, mostly with CNN and UEFA respectively.

Grant

Russell

Marketing Lead – West Ham United Football Club

Grant

Russell

Grant specialises in growing sports properties through brand, marketing and storytelling strategies. He is currently with West Ham United in the English Premier League, focusing on expanding the club’s supporter base and revenue streams, both locally and internationally. Additionally, Grant has provided advisory services to teams and players in other major European leagues.

Dimitrios

Sakellaris

Founder & CEO – Statathlon

Dimitrios

Sakellaris

Dimitrios Sakellaris is the CEO and co-founder of Statathlon, a pioneering company in sports analytics and AI, specializing in injury prevention and performance optimization for elite football and basketball. Under his leadership, Statathlon has partnered with some of the biggest clubs and federations in Europe, contributing to European championship titles and shaping the future of data-driven decision-making in elite sport.

Nozibusiso

Sibiya

TV, Radio and Multimedia Journalist – SABC Sport

Nozibusiso

Sibiya

Nozibusiso Sibiya is an accomplished multimedia, radio, and TV sports journalist with a passion for storytelling. She studied journalism at the Durban University of Technology and began her career with Cosmopolitan Magazine. Nozibusiso excels in connecting with audiences through various platforms, including content creation on Instagram, as well as MC’ing, moderating, and speaking at high-profile events. Notably, she was the only Africa-based journalist to contribute to Manchester United’s 2019/20 yearbook.

Javier

Tebas

President – LALIGA

Javier

Tebas

Javier Tebas Medrano, born in Costa Rica in 1962, is a Spanish lawyer specializing in sports and bankruptcy law. His football journey began in 1993 as president of SD Huesca. He later joined the boards of CD Badajoz and CD Toledo before becoming LaLiga vice-president in 2001. Elected LaLiga president in 2013, he was re-elected in 2016 and 2019. His leadership focuses on financial controls, audiovisual rights, and international growth, including the Boost LaLiga project with CVC Capital Partners.

Zubair

Timol

Partner & Global Vice President, Culture- Meltwater

Zubair

Timol

Zubair Timol brings a diversified background in tech, communications, consulting, law, sports, and luxury. With a career spanning multiple continents—including stints in Singapore, Amsterdam, and Cape Town—Zubair has cultivated a deep understanding of global business dynamics. He is particularly skilled in nurturing high-performance teams and driving strategic, culturally attuned commercial solutions for a range of clients, from emerging startups to established Fortune 500 companies.

World Football Summit Speakers

World Football Summit
Speakers

Since 2016, WFS has welcomed the football industry leaders who are shaping the future of football

World Football Summit Speakers On stage

World Football Summit Speakers
On stage

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