Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Rob is an experienced sponsorship and marketing data & advisory professional. He has held commercial and research leadership roles in London (UK), Toronto (Canada) and Dubai (UAE), in previous roles with Repucom, Nielsen Sports and 54. He has 18 years+ of sports and entertainment marketing knowledge, with media, brand, sports, tourism, and leisure expertise, working across market research, TV, digital and strategic consulting solutions. Rob has managed clients and supported projects across six continents, learning local data nuances in markets of varying industry maturity. He works with rights holders, destinations, agencies and advertisers to help them assess the impact of potential partnerships and to better understand performance and return on marketing activity.
Overseeing all Data & Insights orientated projects and initiatives across 54's core pillars of Strategic Advisory, Asset Optimisation and Activation & Engagement.
Providing Data & Insights related guidance on 54 key client projects.
In this role, I spearheaded the re-establishment and growth of business divisions and market presence, partnering with regional teams, leadership, and stakeholders to define and enact solutions. Providing strategic growth leadership for the global leader in sports entertainment valuation, audience metrics, and market research/consulting, I generated trusted intelligence for clients to inspire and fuel data-backed action. • Nielsen Sports, Canada, Toronto: - Rebuilt the Nielsen Sports business in the Canada market, relaunching the regional division following a five-year hiatus and driving business growth of more than 300% over the first two years. - Cultivated an extensive roster of rights holders, brands, and agencies to accelerate revenue and market share growth. - Steered high-impact Client Services projects, partnering with stakeholders and operations for seamless execution. - Established Nielsen Sports as a prime industry event presence and thought leader by forging and leveraging a key partnership with the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada (SMCC). • Client Strategy, Canada, Toronto: - Promoted to expanded remit to also lead the Nielsen Activation, Measurement, and Planning divisions in Canada, driving overall growth of 55%+ in two years across business units. - Shaped and managed Products & Services portfolio and growth Operating Plans for each individual division, ensuring alignment with corporate standards and unique unit needs. - Revitalised performance capabilities, building expertise in new solutions and shaping process efficiencies to ensure optimal team capabilities and target achievement. - Collaborated with Nielsen Product teams to shape and execute product and solution maintenance strategies, activating solution implementations across the Canadian market.
In this capacity, I headed Sports & Entertainment functions across MENA, Pakistan, and India regions, leading operational strategy to ensure the delivery of world-class performance measurement solutions and advisory services. • Led a team of experts in the achievement of multimillion-dollar annual revenue targets, providing exceptional insights to support customer decision-making within sports and entertainment marketing and sponsorship industries. • Assumed Commercial and Cluster leadership in January 2018, providing management across regional services. • Steered leading-edge media evaluation, market research, digital solutions, and consulting services, empowering clients to take data-backed action on marketing investments and developments. • Shaped transformative growth plans, driving revenue growth of more than 30% since assuming Cluster leadership. • Instilled a culture of excellence and dedication, optimising performance to enhance profitability and quality resulting in two Middle East Sports Industry Awards (SPIA) wins.
Leading Nielsen Sports & Entertainment's Market Research division in MENAP business [Repucom acquired by Nielsen in June 2016]
After relocating to facilitate the launch of a new regional office in Dubai, I provided leadership and direction for the establishment of new regional partnerships, client networks, and market share. • Headed research operations, leading a team of experts in high-impact market analysis and data-based recommendations for diverse clients. • Contributed to the development and implementation of regional processes and procedures as the second member in the small Middle East team. • Served as lead market research subject matter expert, steering top-tier market research projects across the region to drive the delivery of valuable insights for sports and entertainment clients. • Established the benchmark for regional performance KPIs, maintaining top-level revenue numbers and profitability across service area and setting the example for future success.
During this time, I directed market research projects across the UK and Middle East, leveraging extensive insights to shape, sell, and execute research services for a wide range of clients. • Conducted multi-market research, delivering quantitative and qualitative market insights to inform marketing decision-making. • Consulted with vendors, partners, and suppliers to facilitate streamlined project operations, ensuring timely, in-budget completion for optimal profitability. • Examined market and competitive data to generate valuable customer insights, reporting on or presenting findings to inform and support client activities.