18 November 2021
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2021 FINALISTS!
The Sports Business Awards recognise and reward achievement by the teams behind the scenes that facilitate sporting excellence and endeavours. We salute and champion their resilience, adaptability and resourcefulness, in particular, that shown over this last year.
Why the Sports Business Awards?
Celebrate with your team
Being an award-winner is a powerful motivator to inspire you and your colleagues to keep up the great work!
Enhance your reputation
Appending an independently judged third-party badge of excellence is a sure-fire shortcut to emphasising your merit to colleagues, clients, bosses & stakeholders.
Generate positive headlines
Spread the good news - everyone loves a success story and winning an award is a great publicity hook for social and traditional media efforts
Aspire to Better Practice
Winner or not - seeing what others do for their products is an irreplacable source of tried & tested award-worthy ideas!
Our 2021 Judges
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Sabrina Ibanez
Secretary General of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI)
Sabrina Ibanez
Secretary General of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI)Sabrina Ibáñez has been the Secretary General of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the global governing body of equestrian sport, since December 2014 and is the first woman to hold this post in the organisation. In her current position and as the former FEI Director of Governance and Executive Affairs, she has played an instrumental role in advancing gender equality in the Federation.
She is also a member of the IOC Gender Equality Working Group and was elected the first President of the Association of Paralympic Sports Organisations (APSO) in 2017. She is also the Chair of the ASOIF Parasport Consultative Group (APCG).
Sabrina Ibáñez holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and History from Boston University and a diploma in Sociology, Politics and Management of Sport Science from the Universities of Lausanne, Leicester, and Montpellier.
Prior to working for the FEI, Sabrina Ibáñez was with Telecom Japan TV Productions in New York (USA) and the Fédération Internationale de Natation Amateur (FINA) in Lausanne (SUI).
Sabrina Ibáñez is a Swiss national of Salvadorian, American, and Austrian descent. She is fluent in English, French, and Spanish and has two adult sons.
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Jane M Nickerson MBE
Chief Executive Officer, Swim England
Jane M Nickerson MBE
Chief Executive Officer, Swim EnglandJane Nickerson has been CEO of Swim England since April 2017, providing leadership which is passionately focused on creating a society where everyone has the opportunity to learn how to swim, is supported to develop their skills, and is able to enjoy the water throughout their lifetime.
Jane has a deep understanding of the sport through the eyes of a swimmer and an administrator, from grassroots to elite level. As a youngster she swam competitively for City of Coventry and competed to national championship standard, whilst also taking an interest in the governance of the sport. One of her most treasured times, during the 1990s, was as an England and Great Britain swimming team manager.
Jane’s experience is a great asset to Swim England and provides her with the insight to successfully lead the organisation’s strategy which includes building new partnerships to increase awareness of the health benefits of swimming, encouraging everyone to enjoy the water and ensuring the development of talented athletes.
Jane feels fortunate to work in a sector that is based on fun and encourages all to embrace this in their day-to-day work. She joined Swim England in 1997 and, before her current role, held a range of senior management posts including Head of Administration, Director of Operations and Chief Operating Officer.
Jane graduated with B Ed majoring in History and English after studying Ethnography in France for 12 months. Outside of swimming, Jane is grounded by her voluntary work with the Samaritans and enjoys being active in a different volunteer-based organisation.
She was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to swimming during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
It is Jane’s belief that with positive thinking directed in the ‘right’ direction, everything is possible.
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Mel Young
Chair, Sportscotland
Mel Young
Chair, SportscotlandMel Young is Chair of Sportscotland, the national agency for Sport in Scotland.
He is a successful global social entrepreneur as well as a passionate believer in the power of sport to create genuine lasting change. He is founder and President of the Homeless World Cup.
He also sits on the UK Sports Board, watches lots of sport and runs every day.
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Andy Payne OBE
Chairman, British Esports Association
Andy Payne OBE
Chairman, British Esports Association -
Clare Connor
President, MCC
Clare Connor
President, MCC
Our 2021 Judges
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Adrian Christy
Chief Executive, Badminton England
Adrian Christy
Chief Executive, Badminton EnglandAdrian has been Chief Executive of Badminton England since 2006 and is leading the organisation through a vision for badminton to be one of the nation’s most popular sports and to consistently win World, Olympic and Paralympic medals.
Adrian is driving a journey of modernisation and self-sustainability at Badminton England, transforming the business through technology, customer acquisition, fan engagement and organisational efficiency. He is a bold, recognised and innovative leader with proven achievement; someone who makes things happen and leads by example.
Under Adrian’s leadership, Badminton England has secured the greatest level of commercial investment in the history of the organisation, seen the Yonex All England Open Championships be included among the three badminton ‘Majors’ on the World Tour, demonstrated great vision and creativity through the launch of the first professional badminton league in the UK.
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Charlie Wylie
Managing Partner, EMEA, MKTG Sports + Entertainment
Charlie Wylie
Managing Partner, EMEA, MKTG Sports + EntertainmentCharlie is Managing Partner of Sport & Entertainment at MKTG, an industry leading lifestyle marketing agency.
Charlie is a partnership and brand engagement expert with years of experience in building, managing and delivering integrated partnership and sponsorship solutions for clients. Recently he has focused on creating large scale global partnerships for FMCG and B2B brands, helping to deliver game-changing business value for brands through sport.
Outside of work Charlie is a huge sport fan and has become an expert in up-selling his former sporting glories. When not juggling work and family life he’s often to be found on a boat, or a bike or doing some form of adventure challenge.
