Meet the leaders joining WFS Riyadh 2025

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

Confirmed speakers at WFS Riyadh 2025

Confirmed speakers at
WFS Riyadh 2025

Saleh

Alshehri

Professional football player

Saleh

Alshehri

Captain Saleh Al Shehri is a Saudi footballer for Al-Ittihad FC and the national team. Known for his passion beyond the pitch, he advocates for education, youth empowerment, and football as a force for social change. With international experience from his time in Portugal, he brings a global outlook to local development, inspiring Saudi youth to pursue both academic and athletic excellence.

Jozy

Altidore

Athlete and Investor- Sogility

Jozy

Altidore

I’m Jozy Altidore, a former U.S. Men’s National Team striker with a deep passion for soccer and its growth in the U.S. After playing for clubs in the U.S., Europe, and Mexico, I had the privilege of leading Toronto FC to an MLS Cup win in 2017. I also represented the U.S. in multiple World Cups and the 2008 Olympics, earning over 100 caps and scoring 41 goals. Beyond my playing career, I’ve been fortunate to be involved in various ventures.

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.

Jean

Baptiste Alliot

Chief Strategy Officer- La Source

Jean

Baptiste Alliot

Jean-Baptiste has spent the past 10 years in the sports industry, holding various roles that ultimately led him to spearhead innovation at UEFA, where he established the UEFA Innovation Hub. As the Chief Strategy Officer at LaSource, he now leads the consulting division, guiding tech clients and startups in the European and International sports industry.

Mayur

Bhanji

Chief Communications Officer – Raiola Global Management

Mayur

Bhanji

Mayur has close to two-decades of experience as a broadcaster and in the PR & Communications space. In this time Mayur has worked across the Middle East and North Africa region, South East Asia, India and across Europe for many leading organisations such as the BBC, beIN SPORTS, LaLiga and Sky Sports. Currently Mayur leads PR, Communications and Media Relations for Raiola Global Management, supporting many of the leading athletes from the world of football.

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.”

Simon

Chadwick

Advisor, and Professor of AfroEurasian Sport- Evosport

Simon

Chadwick

Professor Simon Chadwick is a researcher, writer, academic, consultant, advisor, and speaker, whose work focuses on leading and managing in complex environments. His particular areas of expertise are in policy and strategy, international and global markets, as well as business and marketing. Chadwick also serves as an Evosport adviser.

Kristian

Dobrev

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

Harburg

Chairman – Harburg Group

Ben

Harburg

Ben Harburg is a Managing Partner of Novo Capital a global, multi-stage investment firm. He is the principal of Harburg Group, a multi-club ownership group that is the owner of Al Kholood Club of the Saudi Pro League, and co-owner of Cádiz Club de Fútbol of LaLiga Hypermotion and Querétaro Fútbol Club of Liga MX. He is a board director of various private companies, as well as those of several foundations in the arts, geopolitical and academic arenas.

Ben

Jacobs

Sports Broadcaster – TalkSPORT

Ben

Jacobs

Sports journalist with talkSPORT and GiveMeSport.

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.

Olek

Loewenstein

Global President of Sports – TelevisaUnivision

Olek

Loewenstein

Olek Loewenstein is President of Global Sports Business at TelevisaUnivision, overseeing all sports content operations in the U.S. and Mexico. He leads TUDN’s bi-national production hub, delivering over 4,000 hours of studio shows, 6,000 hours of live TV events, and 4,500+ streaming hours on ViX annually. Under his leadership, TelevisaUnivision holds the largest live soccer portfolio, featuring Liga MX, the Mexican national team, FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and more.

Joe

Morrison

TV Presenter – Saudi Pro League

Joe

Morrison

Joe Morrison has been a Live TV Broadcaster for over 20 years and is a well known face of football to millions of sports buff’s across the Middle East, Indian Sub-continent and Asia.

Farkhunda

Muhtaj

Professional Footballer & Social Activst

Farkhunda

Muhtaj

Farkhunda Muhtaj is an Afghan-Canadian footballer, activist, and humanitarian. She led the 2021 evacuation of 300+ Afghans, including the women’s national team, featured in the Cannes Lions–winning *We Are Ayenda*. Captain of Afghanistan’s national team and midfielder for Calgary Wild FC, she co-founded Scarborough Simbas to support refugees through sport. She’s a global speaker and ambassador for several NGOs, advising Canada Soccer and FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto.

Magda

Pozzo

Chief Commercial Officer – Udinese Calcio

Magda

Pozzo

The main purpose of her role is to manage all international partnership projects between the teams of the Pozzo Ownership Group. Magda, always passionate about innovation, was the first to introduce the concept of naming rights for a stadium in Italy, signed in 2015. The Bluenergy Stadium currently aims to become the first green stadium in Italy given the great commitment she has made in the green policy of Udinese Calcio, indicated as the most sustainable club in Italy and fourth in the world by the BFFSI.

Ralf

Reichert

CEO – Esports Worldcup Foundation

Ralf

Reichert

Ralf began his esports journey in the 90s, co-founding SK Gaming and later ESL, helping turn esports into a global phenomenon. As Chairman of ESL Faceit Group, he oversaw its rise into a billion-dollar brand. In 2023, he became CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, leading efforts to elevate esports to a premier global sport and grow the foundation as a driving force in the industry.

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.

Luis

Vicente

Chairman

Luis

Vicente

Luis Vicente is a seasoned sports executive with over 30 years of experience driving innovation, growth, and digital transformation in sport. He’s Chairman of APEX and advisor to Mercury 13, Baller League, and Common Goal. Formerly Group CEO of ELEVEN SPORTS and FIFA’s first Chief Digital Transformation Officer, he has held key roles at Valencia CF, Manchester City, and advised top clubs like Real Madrid. He’s also represented football legends like Figo, Ronaldo, and Shevchenko.

World Football Summit Speakers

World Football Summit
Speakers

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

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