30 talented individuals from across the UK sport industry have been selected as the third group of Sport Industry NextGen Leaders, as part of Sport Industry NextGen in partnership with Barclays.
The third year of the programme, which identifies, rewards and develops the rising stars of the sport sector, saw the number of entries double from 2016.
The latest group of 30 comprise of a mixture of agencies, brands, broadcasters, clubs, community programmes, entrepreneurs, governing bodies, media and rights holders.
According to the Sport Industry NextGen Steering Committee - which comprised of Sport Industry NextGen Coaches, partners, and industry experts – the 30 were identified for their existing ability and future potential within the industry, after clearly demonstrating developing signs of leadership qualities and a drive for change.
2018’s Sport Industry NextGen Leaders range from 24 to 31 years of age, plying their trade at a variety of different levels.
Organisations involved include adidas, British Triathlon, BT Sport, ECB, EFL, Google, Manchester United, NBA, NFL, Nike, Octagon, Sony, Surrey County Cricket Club, Yahoo and more.
Nick Keller, chairman, Sport Industry Group, commented: “After two brilliant groups in the first two years, the class of 2018 had a lot to live up to, especially with twice the number of entries compared to last year. However, as the Steering Committee soon discovered, the depth of talent with genuine ability, integrity and ambition in the next generation offers us all real promise for the future.”
Tom Corbett, Barclays head of sponsorship, added: “Barclays has always been a supporter of the next generation, particularly through our LifeSkills programme, which helps young people gain the skills and experiences they need to help them enter the world of work. Therefore, being able to continue our partnership with the Sport Industry NextGen programme is a natural next step for us. Sport Industry NextGen in partnership with Barclays offers the chance for rising industry professionals to truly demonstrate their abilities as they progress through their career.
“After two excellent years so far, it will be fascinating to be able to spend time with the new Sport Industry NextGen Leaders throughout 2018.”
For the new Leaders, the Sport Industry NextGen journey will begin at Sport Industry NextGen Unlocked, which officially introduces the selected few to the industry as a group for the first time. The evening event offers an opportunity for every year of Sport Industry NextGen Leaders to network with other senior members of the industry, as well as hear from previous Leaders and special guests.
In 2017, the audience heard from a number of speakers who shared their leadership experiences including Watford FC captain Troy Deeney, Commonwealth Games Federation CEO David Grevemberg, ITV's political editor Robert Peston, and Sport England board member Kate Bosomworth.
Sport Industry NextGen will once again work to nurture their talent through a tailored yearlong Leadership Package that includes a series of training and development experiences designed to promote effective leadership and equip them with the skills and knowledge required to fulfil their potential.
Sport Industry NextGen is backed by Barclays who return as headline partner for a third year.
In addition to Barclays, Sport Industry NextGen is also supported by Official Partners Howard Kennedy and Loughborough University London.
For further details please visit www.sportindustry.biz/NextGen, and follow @SportIndustry #SINextGen.
