Sport Industry NextGen Leaders of 2018 announced
Sport Industry Group officially introduced the 2018 cohort of leaders at their Sport Industry NextGen Unlocked event last week.
The latest group of leaders currently work for the likes of adidas, British Triathlon, BT Sport, Google, Sony and many more. This year, 30 budding sport business leaders will take part in a variety of events, workshops and mentoring opportunities as part of the Leadership Package.
Members of the Institute for Sport Business faculty attended the event in London last week along with 200 other industry leaders.
Special guest speakers included world champion diver, Tom Daley; Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, David Grevemberg; and Team GB hockey Olympic champion, Helen Richardson-Walsh. All three discussed their experiences of the sport business industry and leadership.
David Grevemberg, who will deliver the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast this spring, offered his leadership advice to the attendees: “You have as much to learn as you have to contribute. Every day is a school day and if it isn't you're doing it wrong,” said the CEO. “Leading sometimes requires a daring change, so don’t be afraid to raise the bar and change the game.”
23-year-old Tom Daley considered his 12 year career as a professional diver, leading a young squad with the attendees: “It’s not about telling them what to do, they’re great athletes in their own right,” he said. “What I can do for them is make sure I’m in the best physical and mental shape, and lead by example.”
Team GB hockey Olympic champion, Helen Richardson-Walsh, expressed how she learnt that “you can’t lead others until you know yourself” in GB’s bid to win hockey gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Professor James Skinner, Director of the Institute for Sport Business, said: “The NextGen Leadership awards are a great showcase to work with the next generation of sport leaders, and the programme is aligned with our vision of developing the sport leaders of the future.”
Director of the Sport Business and Leadership programme, Dr Steve Swanson, spent the day workshopping with the 2018 cohort about new ways of understanding leadership. In the programme’s Development Afternoon the Leaders discussed the history of leadership, what it means to them, and pressing matters in the industry – such as improving creativity, embracing the use of data, and promoting the diversity and inclusion agenda.
Sport Industry NextGen is supported by Headline Partner, Barclays; Official Partners, Howard Kennedy and Loughborough University London; and Leadership Package Partner, Inspirational Development Group.
Take a look at an overview of Loughborough University London’s Executive Leadership Workshop on Youtube.