Global leader in sport business joins Loughborough University London
Aaron Smith has been appointed as Professor of Sport Business at Loughborough University London.
A global leader in his field with a formidable record of industry connections, his research focuses on the management of psychological, organisational and policy change in sport business.
Professor Smith was previously at Australia’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, where he was the Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor at its College of Business and part of the RMIT Graduate School of Business and Law. Prior to RMIT he was Head of Department and Chair of Sport Management at Melbourne’s La Trobe University.
He has joined Loughborough University London’s Institute of Sport Business (ISB).
Professor Smith has worked extensively in the consulting sector across the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, North America and the Middle East, working with more than 120 clients including multi-national corporations, professional sporting clubs, national and state sport associations, media companies, sport and entertainment facilities, and government.
He has authored 18 books and over 100 academic articles.
Speaking about his new role, Professor Smith said: “It is fantastic to be part of world’s top sporting university. The ISB has immense potential and I’m excited to be part of its development and growth.”
Professor James Skinner, Director of Loughborough University London’s ISB, added: “We are delighted to have Professor Smith at our London campus. He is internationally renowned for his knowledge and experience in sport business, and will be a great asset to the institute.”
Professor Smith has been appointed as part of the University’s Excellence 100 campaign. Launched in January, the campaign is aiming to recruit up to 100 outstanding academics across a wide range of disciplines.
View the press release on the Loughborough University website for further information and resources.
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2020 QS World University Rankings and top in the country for its student experience in the 2018 THE Student Experience Survey.
Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 4th in the Guardian University League Table 2020, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and 8th in The UK Complete University Guide 2020.
Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.
Specialising exclusively in postgraduate-level study, Loughborough University London is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers cutting-edge master’s and PhD degrees, as well as business collaboration, research and enterprise opportunities.
The seven specialist institutes at Loughborough University London include: Design Innovation, Digital Technologies, Diplomacy and International Governance, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, International Management, Media and Creative Industries, and Sport Business. Close industry partnerships with a wealth of leading businesses and creative organisations means teaching and learning is informed by real-life challenges and driven by true industry pressures.