2024 Speakers

Nori Kawana joined Fanatics in late 2017 with the mission of transforming a ‘wholesale only’ business in Japan (Majestic) to Fanatics’ fully vertical commerce model and now leads the Fanatics Commerce Business across East Asia. Since joining, Nori has grown the business six-fold, with Fanatics’ East Asia business now one of the fastest growing segments across Fanatics’ global network.

The Japanese business now partners with some of the biggest sports clubs and organisations in the world and in 2022, Nori and his team successfully secured a 10+ year deal with the Tokyo Giants, the biggest sports club in Asia, in an innovative licensed sports partnership with Nike, the first of its kind outside of North America.

A Board Member of the Council for Sports Ecosystem Promotion, Nori formerly worked for McKinsey focusing on the Retail and Marketing Industries and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Laws from Keio University.

Paras leads content partnerships for Meta in India for Media Publishers and Creators including Public Figures, Athletes, and emerging creators across different genres such as Entertainment, Sports, Music, News, Social & Community among others. He has over two decades of experience in diverse disciplines of media, including Content, Creative, Programming, Marketing & Communications, Platforms (pay-tv, FTA, OTT, Telcos), and Digital Media across multiple genres & demographics.
Before his current role at Meta, he was the Senior Vice President & General Manager (SEA) and Head of Digital Media for Asia, for Viacom Media Networks. Before that, he was the Vice President at Fox International Channels (FIC), where he was leading FOX SPORTS’ marketing, communication & digital media. He’s also held senior roles at ESPN Star Sports, and McCann.

Erica Kerner is the MD, Global Head of Sponsorship & Events for Standard Chartered Bank where she overseas all of the institutions partnerships including the Liverpool Football Club. Most recently she was the Chief Marketing & Communications Officer of SailGP, the world’s most exciting race on water. It is one of the world’s fastest growing sports, and most exciting, sports media properties.

She was previously SVP, Head of Marketing Strategy & Partnerships at Group ONE (ONE Championship and ONE Esports) – Asia’s largest Sports Media Property. Prior to that she was Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Tiffany & Co. Asia Pacific. In this role, she was responsible for all aspects of Tiffany’s luxury and UHNWI marketing, event and communications planning, strategy and implementation across all retail channels and all Asia Pacific countries. She held a similar position at Ralph Lauren prior to joining Tiffany cementing her as a leading luxury and lifestyle retail and events marketer.

She worked for Adidas as director of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, where she was responsible for all of the company’s marketing, sponsorship, licensing and business development activities. She and her team won China’s first-ever Cannes Gold Lion for the adidas Olympics campaign. Erica held the same role for adidas at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Before joining Adidas, she was Director of Marketing and Communications for Special Olympics China, helping to develop the program from 50,000 to 500,000 participants. In addition, as an account director at J. Walter Thompson Shanghai, she was responsible for creative advertising development, product development and retail marketing for DeBeers and PepsiCo.

James Johnson is the CEO of Football Australia, the governing body of football in Australia. He has been in the role of CEO since January 2020.
James’ early career began as a professional footballer, playing at youth level for various clubs. He represented Boston University’s football team throughout his time there as an undergraduate, completing his degree in business administration with a minor in finance. He then continued to play at club level for the Brisbane Strikers until 2007. James then decided to pursue a new career in law, graduating with an Honours as a Juris Doctor before completing a legal diploma at the College of Law in Australia. As a lawyer, he practiced in the private sector in corporate governance, industrial relations, and commercial litigation.

In 2011, James was able to combine his love for football with business when he joined the Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), as a player relations executive. That same year, he was appointed as the Director of International Relations and development at the Asian Football Confederation in Malaysia, where he oversaw relationships with Asia’s 46 national associations.
He next joined FIFA in 2013 before being appointed as Head of Professional Football two years later. Throughout his time at FIFA, James managed the secretariat of the Football Stakeholders Committee and established strong relationships with international clubs, leagues, and players.

In 2018, he joined the City Football Group in the UK, as senior vice president of external affairs, where he worked until being appointed as CEO for Football Australia.
Since joining the federation, James has evolved the sport across the nation, introducing and developing new strategies such as their “XI Principles for the future of Australian football” and the “Legacy 23’” programme. In February 2024, Football Australia released a comprehensive post-tournament report on the Legacy ‘23 strategy, marking a significant milestone in the journey of Australian football.

James is now leading key initiatives for Australian football including the digital transformation of community football in Australian football; creating new national-level competitions (men and women) and reimagining Australian football products as the game adapts to the evolving habits of football participants; introducing a new player transfer system; continuing to grow the commercial revenues for the sport, and building Australian football’s men’s and women’s national team (Socceroos and Matildas) into global iconic sports brand.

Carlos is the CEO of ONE Esports, a global esports media company that delivers world-class content and experiences to millions of gaming and esports fans.

Carlos joined ONE Esports as the former Chief Business Officer of Battlefy, the world’s largest open esports competition platform. Prior to entering esports, Carlos served as Univision’s SVP of Corporate Business Development, and as the Head of Strategy for LG Electronics’ North American consumer electronics business.

Carlos was a McKinsey & Company Fellow during his MBA at MIT Sloan, and he graduated Cum Laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Sarah Walsh was appointed Head of AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Office for Football Australia in March 2024, following the announcement that Football Australia would host the Women’s Asian Cup 2026.

Sarah Walsh is a former Australian international athlete with 70 caps and 35 international goals for the Matildas. She has a decorated career including appearances in the 2004 Olympics and 2007 FIFA World Cup. She clinched victory at the 2010 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Since then, Sarah has evolved into an accomplished sports executive, Logie-nominated commentator, and compelling public speaker. Her firsthand experience in high-performance sports has translated into advocating for pay equity and inclusion, spearheading innovation in governance and policy driving social change at all levels of football.

Notably, as Head of Women’s Football for Football Australia, she influenced the strategy that generated a staggering $398M for football’s World Cup leveraging strategy through government and commercial investment, with an additional $200M earmarked to improve community infrastructure for women and girls across all sports. As hosts of the most commercial FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Matildas shattered attendance and viewership records, drawing over 11 million viewers during the semi-final against England, making it the single highest rating TV program of all time.
Recently ranked 22nd on News Corps’ list of 100 most influential women in sport, Sarah’s illustrious playing and professional career converge in this pivotal moment.

Carlo Nohra is Chief Operating Officer at the Saudi Pro League tasked with implementing SPL’s transformation strategy designed to elevate the league to become one of the top-10 leagues in the world based on quantity of highest-ranking players in the world playing in the league, monetization of broadcast rights revenue and viewership, maximization of stadia capacity utilization. Carlo oversees competitions, operations, commercial, marketing, communications and content capabilities of the SPL. Prior to joining the SPL Carlo was contracted to Deloitte’s Sport Group to support the formulation of SPL’s transformation strategy.

Carlo served as VP General Manager for WWE in Asia Pacific (2020-2021) and earlier in the Middle East (2014-2020) where he was responsible for making the company and its products regionally relevant and culturally acceptable by establishing a multi-pronged strategy that localizes and customizes the brand for broader general appeal and greater accessibility to its fans.

Prior to joining WWE Carlo was Chief Executive Officer of Al Jazira Football Club, Al Ain Football Club and the now defunct UAE Football League. He previously served as Assistant General Secretary, Director Competitions at the Asian Football Confederation and VP for Corporate Strategy at the World Sport Group.

Julia Farr is the Head of Asia Pacific for International & New Business Development for Borussia Dortmund. As part of her role, she oversees Borussia Dortmund’s marketing, business development and youth development across the region. Before moving to Borussia Dortmund’s Singapore office, she was based in their headquarters where she gathered valuable experience and expertise in various fields and departments. Julia specializes in new business development, strategic planning, project management, marketing, media, and communication management as well as coaching and youth development.

Fiona Smith is the Director of Media and Communications at Singapore GP Pte Ltd, race promoter for the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. Part of the pioneering team, Fiona has led the communications strategy for the home of Formula 1 night racing since 2007, drumming up publicity across various platforms to engage local and international media, ticketholders, and hospitality guests. Overseeing media relations, community engagement efforts, and social media management, her outreach initiatives have contributed to the success of the night race, positioning the Singapore Grand Prix as a must-visit event on the Formula 1 calendar.

Shaun Heng has been in the professional audio and visual industry for over 25 years. His expertise includes managing LED deployment and operation support for the Olympics and Paralympics, spanning from London 2012 to Tokyo 2021. Currently, Shaun serves as the General Manager at Panasonic Connect Asia, leading the Media Entertainment product group for the South-East Asia Region. He is certified CTS-D and CTS-I by AVIXA.

Yvonne Tee is the Head of Brand Partnerships at BingX, leading sponsorships with premier sports entities like Chelsea FC and UFC Fighters. She oversees these partnerships from negotiation to activation, delivering impactful campaigns that have garnered industry attention. In her prior role, Yvonne orchestrated comprehensive brand communication strategies and secured partnerships with renowned figures like Messi Leo, Galatasaray, and Team Spirit (eSports).

Noble is a strategic growth and revenue leader with a proven track record in full-funnel marketing optimisation. With experience at Amazon’s Prime Video and Audible, as well as Viu in its early stages across Southeast Asia, he brings a global perspective and a deep understanding of digital media. Noble leverages data and strategic partnerships to increase customer acquisition and lifetime value across startups, growth-stage companies, and multinationals. He currently spearheads strategic growth and P&L at SPOTV’s digital business, leading a team focused on acquisition, engagement, and monetisation through digital content, UX, technology, marketing, partnerships, and product innovation. SPOTV brings South Korea’s #1 linear and digital sports streaming service to Southeast Asia.

Mark Fischer has been building successful sports, media and technology businesses in Asia for more than three decades. He currently oversees all business segments for EASL, the champions league of professional basketball for Asia.

Previously, Mark established regional operations for Zuffa LLC as the founding Managing Director for UFC Asia. This included: producing the company’s first six events in the region; producing a 12-episode Chinese version of The Ultimate Fighter reality show; and generating 10-fold increases in both audiences and revenues during the period.

Prior to UFC, Mark played a central role in building the National Basketball Association (NBA) brand across Asia. From 2003 to 2008, Mark led the explosive growth of NBA China from a two-man startup to a valuation of $2.3 billion. He ultimately oversaw all regional business segments for the league, including media rights, marketing partnerships (sponsorship and merchandise licensing), events, PR, and government relations.

Mark’s earlier work experience included stints in investment banking, trade and broadcast journalism, import-export trading, and playing semi-pro basketball in Taiwan’s top league.

Proficient in Mandarin, the Boston native earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Michigan.

Nao Okamoto is executive officer, International Business, B.League (Japan Professional Basketball League). He is responsible for developing the growth strategy of international business, and general management of B.League.

Ng Ming Wei, a distinguished Taekwondo martial artist from Singapore, is also a dominant figure on TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube in the country. Amassing a combined following of 40 million, his dedication to content creation has resulted in over 20 billion video views and the mentorship of 1000+ brands and creators. Through Boom Digital Media, which he founded, Ming has been pivotal in helping brands soar on social media, particularly on TikTok, setting new benchmarks of success

A passion driven marketer in creating desire and influencing brand preference, David currently leads the marketing team for Mazda, one of Singapore’s most popular Japanese automotive brand distributed by Eurokars Group, the largest privately-owned car distributorship in Singapore with regional presence in Indonesia, Australia and China.

David has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and communications. Moving from civil service to international advertising agencies and currently in automotive brand and customer relationship management. He thrives on challenges in automotive marketing and continues to improve consumer engagements with the Mazda brand. David have also strengthened the Mazda brand locally through strategic partnerships with key world class sports events and celebrity brand ambassadors.
An avid wine enthusiast, David enjoys white wines such as Chablis and Albarino and continues to explore new wines regions.

Gary Wan is the Managing Director of HYROX APAC and a co-founder of Hybrid Group Limited. With extensive experience in event management and marketing, he has played a key role in expanding HYROX events across the Asia-Pacific region. Gary’s leadership has brought innovative fitness competitions to new audiences, fostering a vibrant community of fitness enthusiasts​

With a passion for business and sales leadership spanning 18 years, Sammy’s focus has always been on fostering DEI within teams. As a coach and leader, Sammy empower his team members by equipping them with the necessary skills and providing coaching to drive high performance and engagement.
Sammy have worked within the Digital Ad industry his entire career, and having joined Samsung Ads last year, he is excited by the opportunity that CTV and OTT can bring to advertisers to help them engage with their audiences.

Guy has over 20 years experience working across technology, data and consultancy roles within the global sports business industry. Currently managing WSC Sports business across Asia Pacific, he has overseen the growth of WSC’s AI powered video highlights automation technology to partner with major sporting properties and media companies across the region.

Mike joined beIN Asia Pacific at its inception in May 2016. As Managing Director, Mike works closely with the beIN Media Group’s global leadership team to realise its mission of redefining the sports and entertainment experience for fans in Asia and ANZ. With extensive experience in media, sales and sports marketing, Mike is tasked with shaping beIN’s business model and operations in the region while identifying new customer experiences and revenue opportunities.

Jiao has more than decade of commercial experience in the sport industry, with global perspectives from working in China, Switzerland and Singapore. Specialized in media rights and production, she has outstanding proven records of delivering innovative partnerships and activations. Joined NBA Asia in 2022, Jiao is responsible for media partnerships in APAC, and recently expanded her role to lead new business initiatives across all NBA assets.
Prior to the NBA, Jiao served as Vice President in SportBusiness and Director of Media Sales in Sportfive.

Lianne Adamopoulos is a Senior Manager (Global Partnerships) in Creative Artists Agency’s Sports division – representing the commercial rights and interests of CAA’s roster of sports talent and rights holders and is responsible for bridging partnerships between these clients and APAC brands. Prior to this, Lianne worked across talent partnerships at IMG, and international expansion for ONE Championship.

Debora currently serves as the Senior Vice President for UniPin Community & Esports Global, overseeing operations in Southeast Asia, India, MENA, and Latin America. As the founder of Luna Nera, a gaming community dedicated to female gamers, Debora has a clear vision and mission to empower women through esports and gaming.

A prominent figure in the Indonesian esports scene and throughout Southeast Asia, Debora plays a crucial role in nurturing the esports ecosystem. Since 2022, Debora has been with PBESI (Esports Federation of Indonesia), initially joining as the Special Staff to the Secretary General to help oversee and develop the esports ecosystem in Indonesia. In January 2024, Debora was promoted to Head of PR and Communications.

Debora’s achievements have been recognized internationally, she received the Community Champion award from both the International Esports Federation (IESF) and Esports Insider.

Howard Fondyke is the General Manager of Fan Engagement at Sydney FC, Australia’s most successful football club. Leveraging his experience as a professional footballer, he has been with Sydney FC for 10 years, focusing on developing business growth strategies and building generational fan bases. In his role, he has introduced key initiatives to diversify revenue at the club. Howard collaborates with clubs, associations, and governing bodies to enhance fan engagement and promote sustainable growth, strengthening Sydney FC’s leadership in the Australian sports industry.

With over 20 years of industry experience in the Middle East and South-East Asia, Eric
Gottschalk has established himself as a leader in providing creative marketing, media and
communication solutions to governing bodies, federations, rights holders, event
organizers and brands across the sports & entertainment industry.
Eric holds a Masters Degree in Sports Management and has held previous senior
executive positions with Delwood Sports Marketing, GlobalSportnet and MEDIAPRO
Middle East before setting-up MMC Sportz Marketing LLC in 2013 in Dubai and MMC
Sportz Asia Inc. in 2015 in Manila.

His profound experience in developing business strategies while identifying unique, out-of the box opportunities within sports industry, triggered his passion in sharing, developing and connecting the industry through his recognized event formats such as “SPIA Asia – Asia’s Sports Industry Awards & Conference” and “The Business of Football”.

Since August 2020, Eric invested deeply into football where he now serves as the President & CEO of United City FC (formerly known as Ceres Negros), leading them to a
National league title in 2020 (and a Copa Alcantara title in 2022), becoming the first team
from the Philippines to qualify for the AFC Champions League Group stages in 2021,
beating Beijing FC 3-2 for a first ever top-flight win along the way

Paul Shore is the Director of Product Management at Zixi, a leading company in broadcast-quality live video solutions. With expertise as a ZEN Master, Paul excels in orchestrating complex product strategies and driving innovation. His leadership and vision contribute to delivering seamless video streaming experiences for clients worldwide, solidifying Zixi’s position in the industry.

Su-Ann Heng is a former No. 1 ranked golfer in her native Singapore and six-time member of the Singapore Ladies National Team. For the LIV Golf coverage, she serves as an analyst and podcast host. An experienced analyst with various networks including FOX Sports Asia, she has covered women’s major championships and hosted marquee global events for nearly 10 years. The bilingual Heng has served as a contributor for Women’s Golf Magazine and has established herself after her career as a professional player as an accomplished and influential voice on the global golf scene.

As the Founding Partner of AST, JB’s mission is to transform and empower the Sports, Esports, and Health & Wellbeing ecosystems for Asia’s 4.5 billion citizens by leveraging breakthrough IPs & technologies. AST guides companies to new and exciting opportunities in unfamiliar markets and leverage the large opportunities the region has to offer.

JB is passionate about accelerating businesses on how to best leverage the Asia-Pacific region to accelerate their growth from a Strategic, Commercial and Capital advisory angle.

With almost 15 years of experience in Asia-Pacific in strategic advisory, cross-border M&A and investments, JB has a good understanding on how to maximise your growth in Asia-Pacific, manage Asian stakeholders and prevent pitfalls pitfalls – from $1m investments in early stage start-ups to HKEX/NASDAQ IPOs. Working across cultures JB enables people to break through stereotypes and misconceptions to find mutual ground and create solutions that drive success.

Prior to AST, JB had a variety of Finance & Strategy roles for a decade in Asia including Director of the PE/VC arm for European FO and Associate Director of Strategic Advisory for Regional Strategy & Valuation group. JB is also a mentor at leading Sports Innovation Hubs in Europe and US as well lecturing at various universities including HKUST, CUHK, ESSEC and ESCP on the business of Sports & Esports and Sport Finance.

JB graduated with a MSc in Corporate Finance from SKEMA Business School and HKUST and polished his HSK mandarin at CUHK-Yale Language Centre.

Clarissa Tanoesoedibjo is the Deputy CEO of Vision+, MNC Group’s Subscription based OTT platform. She oversees and manages both teams in content and platform, with a primary focus in Sales and Advertising, Programming, Drama Acquisitions and Licensing, and Original Content Productions under MNC’s production unit, Vision Pictures, and Cameo Project (Anak Muda Group).

Dean Tan is the Director of Industry Development at Sport Singapore. He leads a passionate team to groom and grow opportunities and capabilities that enable Singaporeans to live better through sport and fitness. Through partnerships with International Olympic Committee, International Federations, and Rights Owners, the team had co-created the inaugural Olympic Esports Week in 2023, and successfully organised other major experiences such as the World Table Tennis Singapore Smash, HSBC Rugby Sevens, and Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon etc. He takes a keen interest in Muay Thai and dreams about turning pro in his next life.

Jeff Chau is a pioneer in mobile esports, having worn many hats throughout his career as Pro Player, Head Coach, GM, Esports Caster, to Head of Esports and Marketing roles. He currently serves as the Global Esports Director at Razer, where he spearheads the development of the brand’s esports strategy.

With a deep understanding of the complex esports landscape, Jeff has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry, from the early days of mobile esports to his current position as Global Esports Director at Razer.

Jesper Staffas is the Chief of Music at Epidemic Sound, the leading soundtracking platform for content creation. Epidemic Sound has garnered critical acclaim for its innovative digital rights model and next-generation soundtracking tools that helps global brands and professional creators of all kinds elevate their content with music, while simultaneously supporting artists both financially and creatively.

At Epidemic Sound, Jesper is responsible for empowering artists to succeed through unprecedented reach and remuneration, and to develop the company’s catalog of exceptional music from award-winning and up-and-coming artists globally. He leads a team of problem-solvers, communicators, and analysts to set, communicate, and optimize Epidemic Sound’s music acquisition strategy, the streams, revenue and overall success for Epidemic Sound’s artists, and much more.

Prior to Epidemic Sound, Jesper spent more than five years at Warner Bros International TV Production (ITVP) producing everything from reality shows to documentaries. He is an award-winning TV producer and has received several Kristallen (Swedish Emmy) Awards and nominations, loves spinning house records in his spare time and is passionate about all things music.

Martin Thiess is General Manager China for Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach since September 2017. In 2018, the club officially started local operations in China, opened an office and has been conducting manifold projects ever since to sustainably grow its brand locally.
Martin Thiess holds a University Diploma in East-Asian Studies, majoring in Economy and Political science. He has had more than 13 years’ professional experience in managing business between China and Germany, previously holding positions at German OEM MAN Truck & Bus and Chinese SOE CRRC Group.

Min Joo Kim is the Media & Broadcasting Manager for the Korea Professional Football League. In this role, MJ oversees the league’s media and broadcast business, primarily leading international media initiatives, including rights sales, OTT, and strategic media planning. MJ also directs international market development, focusing on overseas marketing, partnerships, and sponsorships, as well as creating new revenue streams through media business, enhancing the league’s global awareness and value.

A lifetime sports fan with a multicultural background, MJ holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Yonsei University, Korea, and a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Keio University in Japan.

Tom Elsden is the VP of Digital at Mailman, based in Singapore after 10 years in Shanghai. Mailman is the leading Asia sports digital consultancy and marketing platform helping global rights holders, athletes and brands build a successful business. Tom is managing some of the world’s largest sports organisations, clubs and talent, including FIFA, PSG and David Beckham, as well as establishing the Mailman Esports Division. He is regularly featured in global news publications, including the Financial Times, CNN and Forbes.

Daria is a marketing leader in health with over 13 years of international experience across Europe, Middle East and Asia having worked for organizations like Google, Allianz, Doctor Anywhere and now Cigna Healthcare. A brand strategist driven by purpose, Daria is a mental wellbeing advocate who puts health and vitality of customers at the heart of every decision.

Mohamed Feizel is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the commercial sports and entertainment industry. Currently, he is the Head of Sports & Broadcast – APAC at Genius Sports Group, where he has successfully expanded the company’s presence in the Asian market. With a strong background in strategic planning, sports marketing/media, sponsorship sales, and business development, making him a key player in the sports business ecosystem.

Appointed in 2018, Kevin Sim currently serves as the Head of Asia Pacific for Bundesliga International and leads the Bundesliga’s growth efforts in Asia Pacific markets, with the responsibility of driving Germany’s professional football league’s presence and various interests in the region.

Prior to joining Bundesliga International, Sim led ONE Championship’s global media rights distribution and played an instrumental role in the company’s growth, from an early stage start-up to its current status as Asia’s largest sports property. Sim also held positions at Multi Channels Asia, Asia’s leading independent channel consultancy and distributor, and was also part of the pioneering staff of international sports marketing and media agency, MP & Silva.

After 25 years in the professional sports arena, Ian Riddoch jumped into the world of live entertainment. Now, as the Director of Sponsorship Sales for AEG Global Partnerships in Thailand, Ian leads the charge in securing top-tier commercial partnerships for AEG in Asia’s most visited country.

AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company, is committed to expanding its presence in Asia-Pacific and recently opened UOB LIVE, a spectacular new venue in the heart of Bangkok. The company is also set to unveil a 17,000-seat arena in the city by 2027. Adding to this impressive portfolio, AEG’s APAC division has announced a major venue naming rights deal in Japan with IG Group for the IG Arena and have other projects in the pipeline in Seoul & Osaka.

Ian’s journey before AEG was just as exciting, with jobs like CEO of Glasgow Warriors, CCO of the Qatar Stars League, and Commercial Director roles with Aberdeen FC, Super League, Edinburgh Rugby, and Wigan Warriors, adding to his multi-market sports and live entertainment experience.

Caitlin Kang is the Senior Director of Business Operations for the Asia Pacific Japan region at ESL FACEIT Group, a global leader in esports and gaming entertainment. With a robust background in strategic planning and operational excellence, she drives growth and efficiency across the APJ region. Her leadership has contributed to ESL’s success in expanding its team and market presence across Asia Pacific Japan.

Eric Geng is the Managing Director of Rights at China Sports Media (CSM), a leading sports marketing agency in China. Eric is responsible for rights acquisition and distribution, and distributed Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga, Spanish La Liga, World Endurance Championship in China. CSM’s rights portfolio also include J.League, K League, A-League, Brasileiro Série A and Professional Fighters League in China.

Prior to CSM, Eric was the senior principle at China Media Capital (CMC), and played an important role in CMC’s investments in City Football Group (CFG), CAA, Formula E Holdings.

Eric holds a Master Degree of Sport Management from Loughborough University.

A creative strategist by mind and a sports marketer by heart.
With 15 years’ experience in sports marketing across LATAM, North America and APAC, and having worked on agencies, brands and rightsholders, I became an advocate of fan engagement, actively pursuing means to forge deep connections for brands, putting the fan at the centre of everything I do.

22 years in Sports Media, inclusive 8 years in K+ as Head of Sport Content, and now Sports Director.

As the Regional Head of Sponsorships at Mastercard Asia Pacific, Iciri Rai has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience from over 15 years of working with some of the leading sports & entertainment agencies, brands & rights holders around the world. At Mastercard, she leads the company’s regional portfolio of sports and entertainment sponsorships, brand partnerships and events, including the Australian Open, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, UEFA, Riot, League of Legends, Naomi Osaka, T1, and other worldwide sports and entertainment talent and properties.

Prior to this role, Iciri was the Senior Account Director at Octagon Sports & Entertainment, where she was responsible for overseeing major accounts and business development efforts in the APAC region. Before moving to Singapore, Iciri was the Global Marketing Director at Leverage Agency in New York, where she managed high visibility campaigns, events, and partnerships including Jimmy Kimmel Live Amazon, Intel and Lady Gaga at the Grammy’s, Turkish Airlines at Madison Square Garden, Sketchers and American Pharoah, and more. She has also previously held roles at the United States Tennis Association, John McEnroe Tennis Foundation, and the Super Bowl Planning Committee, amongst others.

Her pursuit for excellence spurred a professional tennis career with a notable singles and doubles ranking in the international Women’s Tennis Association for several years, where she was one of the top junior tennis players in India. Originally from Bangalore, India, Iciri spent some of her formative years in Italy before moving to the US and graduating magna cum laude from the University of South Florida, where she captained the university’s first ever Big East Conference winning women’s tennis team. She obtained her Master of Business Administration from NYU in New York and a Master of Sustainability from UCLA, Los Angeles.