Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
Sport has changed. Athletes are no longer just competitors; they are cultural anchors shaping identity, aspiration, and community, particularly for younger audiences. Across more than 20 years, I have worked at the intersection of global sport, brand, and culture. At Adidas, I led global brand and category initiatives across FIFA World Cups, Olympic Games, and athlete platforms such as Team Messi, working with a core youth audience and shaping how sport connects with people beyond performance. As Chief Commercial Officer at NOC*NSF, I led the transformation of TeamNL into a unified national platform, aligning federations, athletes, and partners to drive both commercial growth and long-term engagement. Today, through The Athlete Brand and my work with the IOC, I focus on how athletes serve as entry points into fandom and how that influence can translate into meaningful engagement, community, and long-term value. I am particularly interested in how sport, product, and culture come together to create participation, not just consumption. Author of The Athlete Brand Book and The Athlete Brand Builder’s Handbook.
Built and led a global platform focused on athlete-driven brand strategy, fan engagement, and commercial development. Delivered IOC-backed programs, including the Athlete 365 Business Accelerator, supporting 1,000+ athletes globally. Developed approaches to direct-to-fan engagement, community participation, and long-term brand building. Work focuses on how athletes act as entry points into fandom, shaping identity, aspiration, and engagement for younger audiences.
Under the leadership of Nobel Peace Laureate, Professor Muhammad Yunus, founder of microcredit and father of social business, Yunus Sports Hub is a global community of experts dedicated to solving human challenges through sport & social business.