MESIF MADRID 2025

Isabel Díaz Ayuso is the President of the Community of Madrid and one of the most influential figures in Spain’s conservative Partido Popular (PP). Politician and journalist most distinguished for her position as the President of the Community of Madrid, she is also the President of the People's Party of Madrid and the vice-secretary of communication, as well as the spokeswoman for the party's Madrilenian branch. 

Ibrahim Almoaiqel is the Assistant Deputy Minister for Investment and Privatization at the Ministry of Sport in Saudi Arabia, leading efforts to commercialize the sports sector, expand private sector involvement, and oversee the national privatization program—ranging from transforming state-owned sports clubs into private entities to evaluating the privatization of major sports assets including Stadia and Sports cities.

Aphrodite Moschoudi is an accomplished professional with expertise in major sports projects and events. Her career highlights include extensive involvement in bidding, strategic planning and delivery of major events, including the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Arab Games, FIFA World Cup, FIFA Arab Cup, Asian Cup, World Championships in Athletics and IPC Para-Athletics. Aphrodite has recently joined Qatar Tourism as a Director of Planning and Quality.

Eng. Mansour Al Mokbel, the CEO of the Saudi Motorsport Company. He plays a leading role in advancing Saudi Arabia’s global motorsport presence, driving major events like Formula 1 and Dakar, and aligning the industry with Vision 2030. With a strong background in strategic leadership across government and industry, Eng. Mansour is helping position the Kingdom as a hub for innovation, investment, and sporting excellence.

Emilio Butragueño is a legendary figure in Spanish football and a senior leader at Real Madrid, where he currently serves as Director of Institutional Relations and Director General of the Real Madrid Universidad Europea University School. A lifelong Madridista, Butragueño enjoyed an illustrious playing career with Real Madrid between 1984 and 1995, making 463 official appearances and scoring 171 goals. He was the inspirational leader of the famous ‘Quinta del Buitre’ generation alongside Manuel Sanchís, Míchel, Martín Vázquez and Miguel Pardeza.

Kamel Badawy is a distinguished business leader with over 18 years of extensive experience across various domains, including sports operations management, strategic partnerships, sponsorship, events management, and commercialization. Currently serving as the Chief of Data and Strategic Alliance at Aspire Zone Foundation, Kamel exemplifies dynamic leadership and unparalleled expertise in driving business success. 

Fahad AlSububaie is an accomplished Strategic Management Executive with over two decades of experience leading digital transformation and driving business growth across diverse industries. With expertise in digital marketing, project management, international business development, and information technology, Fahad has a proven track record of navigating complex commercial environments, identifying opportunities, and delivering impactful strategic initiatives.

Bader Al Jeraisy is a Saudi management professional and strategy specialist serving as the General Manager of Privatization at the Ministry of Sport in Saudi Arabia, where he helps drive the country's sports clubs privatization program under Vision 2030. Over 15 years experience in organisational transformation, performance management, governance, and strategy execution across public entities like the Saudi Red Crescent Authority.

A Saudi executive with experience across public and private sectors, he has driven strategic planning, transformation initiatives, and investment programs within the sports landscape. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee and sits on several committees, including the Investments and Funds Committee of SURJ Investments, a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company.

Basim K. Ibrahim, CLSS, CIPM, is passionate about the opportunities for sport development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is a seasoned Investment Attraction & Development Manager with 20 years of diverse professional experience in Investment, IT, Training, Project Management, and Research.

In addition to his role in the Ministry of Sport, Abdullah acquires over a decade of an enriched, diversified experience in Private & Public sectors. Starting from the Banking industry in the Cash Management field with an exposure on Operations, Business Implementation, Product Creation & Management, to contributing into building the Strategic Partnership foundation with the private sector throughout his career in LCGPA.

Ahmed Mohtaseb is the Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Business Development and Co-Founder of Sela, the leading Saudi entertainment, sports, and live-experiences company. He helps direct global expansion, major sports partnerships, and large-scale entertainment projects.

Marcos founded World Football Summit, where he was International Affairs & Business Development Director. Currently, he is still linked with WFS as a member of the Advisory Board. Later, he joined LALIGA where, Marcos has held positions as a Manager for International Relations, Managing Director of LALIGA in Africa and Strategic Projects Director for the MENA region. During his stay in South Africa, Marcos was elected as the President of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in South Africa. After six years, he joined N3XT SPORTS as the Director of Commercial Services.

Joan Suasi is a founding member and current Commercial Director at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Mallorca. As one of the academy's key leaders since its early days, Suasi has played a central role in shaping its identity and global reach RFIRTVE. In his capacity, he spearheads the organization of high-profile sporting events at the academy, including the prestigious ATP Challenger Tour tournament, the Rafa Nadal Open by Movistar. As tournament director, Suasi ensures these events provide visibility for the academy and invite public engagement—many tournaments are open to spectators at no cost.

Jens Lehmann is a former German goalkeeper renowned for his success across Europe. He played for Schalke 04, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, and VfB Stuttgart. Lehmann won the UEFA Cup with Schalke (1997), the Bundesliga with Dortmund (2002), and the Premier League with Arsenal’s “Invincibles” (2004). He was the first Bundesliga goalkeeper to score from open play and earned multiple Goalkeeper of the Year awards. Internationally, he helped Germany secure World Cup bronze (2006) and Euro silver (2008). After retirement, he became a coach, TV expert, and investor in real estate, energy, and sports tech ventures.

Hanan Al Mahmoud is Vice Chairperson of Sharjah Women’s Sports (SWS) and a member of the UAE National Olympic Committee. She leads an umbrella organization comprising four women’s sports clubs, collectively serving over 1,000 female athletes. Under her leadership, SWS also operates a comprehensive network of specialized centers offering holistic services for athletes, from training and sports science to mental wellness and medical services.

David Green is a pioneer of MMA in the UK and Europe, with a storied history in sports broadcasting and operations. His roots in the sport originate as the founder and CEO of BAMMA (The British Association of Mixed Martial Arts) in 2009, becoming the UK’s most premier MMA promotion. The brand would host future UFC World Champions including Tom Aspinall and Leon Edwards, cementing its importance in the history of UK MMA. Such was the boom of BAMMA under Green’s leadership, it would become the first MMA show to feature on terrestrial TV in the UK through a Channel 5 deal.

Samir is a Partner with Arthur D. Little in their Dubai office and is a seasoned strategy advisor to Ministers, CEOs and business leaders across multiple sectors including Sports, Cities of the Future and Investments working in a broad range of topics including innovation, investment and growth strategy. Samir has spent the last 12 years working on highly strategic advisory work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia including with the Ministry of Sports on their overall commercialization strategy as well as Board-level work with SURJ, the Sports Investment Fund of PIF.

Isabel Pérez is Secretary General of the Unió de Federacions Esportives de Catalunya (UFEC), the umbrella body for Catalonia's sports federations and one of the most influential sports organisations in Spain. A lawyer by training, with a degree from the University of Barcelona and a Master's in Sports Law from INEFC, she combines the Secretary General role with leadership of UFEC's legal services, and was the technical author of Catalonia's new Sports Law. Part of UFEC's leadership team since 2015, she is also a prominent advocate for women in sports governance.

Vicente Azpitarte Pérez (Granada, 1983). Journalist and Senator of the XIII and XV Legislature. Between 2019 and 2023 he served as Government Delegate of the Junta de Andalucía in Madrid.

As a journalist he was Press Officer of the National Basketball Team; he worked for a decade for the Grupo Libertad Digital-esRadio as Head of Sports and collaborated assiduously for media such as Ondacero or El Mundo. He is the author of the biography translated into numerous languages of the Real Madrid player, Luka Modric.

CEO of innovative Saudi Arabian football club Al Ansar FC. Leading their vision to become a Saudi Pro League club.

Frank Leenders (born in The Netherlands, 1968) has more than 25 years of experience in international sports marketing at the highest level. In 2012, he supported the design and development of a dedicated media and marketing unit for FIBA, the international Basketball Federation in Geneva, Switzerland and is the Director General of this entity: FIBA Media and Marketing Services SA.

Ahmed Abas is a business and real estate advisory professional who serves as the Regional Head of Sports and Entertainment at JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle). Formerly of EY Parthenon. Leading the Sports and Entertainment sector practice for JLL in the region, guiding strategic advisory, investments, and developments tied to major sports, leisure, and entertainment infrastructure.

A graduate in Law from the UCM and Executive MBA from the Escuela de Organización Industrial, Daniel Martínez has been Deputy Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sport in the Community of Madrid, from where he has promoted the main projects of cultural and tourist economic growth in the Region, and Managing Director of Madrid Cultura y Turismo S.A.U. Previously, he was a director of Grupo Editorial Siglo XXI, in whose international expansion he participated as Managing Director of Biblioteca Nueva S.L.

Chus Bueno is Chief Executive Officer of Euroleague Basketball, appointed in January 2026 to lead European basketball's premier competition through the most consequential period in its history. A former point guard, he spent 12 years as NBA Vice President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, served as executive director of the Spanish Basketball Federation, and built the basketball vertical at DAZN. At EuroLeague he has signed all 13 member clubs to ten-year commitments and is leading a drive to raise €3 billion through the sale of expansion franchises — placing him at the centre of the biggest live questions in basketball: NBA Europe, new capital, and where the game's next markets lie.

With over a decade of experience driving digital transformation across sport, tourism, health, and central government sectors, Abdullateef currently serves as Sport & Tourism Director at Microsoft Arabia, leading strategic initiatives that shape the region’s sports innovation landscape. In this role, Abdullateef has collaborated with global sports entities to adapt Microsoft’s cutting-edge technologies to local market needs, unlocking new opportunities and setting a blueprint for industry-wide adoption.

Ibrahim Alkhorayef serves as the General Manager of Planning & Development within the Sport Events Deputyship in the Ministry of Sport. Ibrahim is responsible for managing the full lifecycle of new IPs & hosting events (Assessments, negotiations, and deal management). He has also held roles in international relationships, strategic planning, operational modeling, and performance benchmarking, with a strong emphasis on sports development. 

Roy Sahaf is Head of Strategy at WSC Sports, where he leads global growth initiatives with a sharp focus on international expansion. A key pillar of his strategy is driving WSC’s momentum in the MENA region—now emerging as a global sports innovation hub under the Vision 2030 framework. Roy is actively shaping WSC’s role in this transformation, aligning product innovation and go-to-market with the region’s fast-evolving sports agenda.

Iñigo Fernandez de Mesa is currently Chairman of the Board of Rothschild & Co in Spain, Vice President of CEOE, President of the Economic and Tax Commissions at the CEOE, President of the IEE (Economic Studies Institute), member of the Altamar International Advisory Board, member of the Scottish Power Limited Board of Directors and President of the Audit Committee at the same company.

Miguel Viana is Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Unlock Brands, the branding studio behind the visual identity of some of world sport's biggest properties. Over a 25-year career he has developed comprehensive branding programmes for FIFA, UEFA, FIBA, European Aquatics, Expo Doha and the Lusail International Circuit — and before founding Unlock Brands, led the team that designed the official emblem of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018. As Gulf sport invests billions in properties the world will watch, Miguel's expertise answers a deceptively simple question: how a sporting event becomes a brand the world remembers.

Antonio (Tony) Alquézar currently serves as CEO of the Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía–Cádiz, one of the key events in the SailGP global circuit. The most recent edition (October 2023) attracted nearly 100,000 spectators and generated an audited economic impact of €93.7 million, according to Deloitte. Tony is also the CEO and Team Principal of the Spanish SailGP Team, which he took over when it ranked last in the league in Season 3.

Carlos Canto has 30+ years of experience in the sports and entertainment-leisure industry. After an initial stint at the tourism – leisure industry, he moved to IMG (currently, part of Endeavor), as VicePresident of the Consulting division. After 10+ years, he moved to Lagardère Sports (currently, SportFive), also as VicePresident of the Consulting Division. In 2016, he created SPSG Consulting, a boutique consulting firm specialized in the sport and entertainment sector, advising clubs, federations, leagues, events, investors, media and sponsors (in strategy, marketing, innovation, business development, sponsorship, sport tourism and research).

Mr. Sultan holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing from the University of Wollongong, Australia (2009), and a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from King Saud University (2007). He has also participated in advanced leadership programs at the London Business School and several other international educational institutions, which have enhanced his strategic and leadership capabilities. He has over 15 years of professional experience in sports, entertainment, investment, and financial services, where he has held prominent positions such as CEO of Al Hilal Investment Company and Board Member of Al Hilal Club.

Kimberley Byrom is Brand Director at MATCH Hospitality, the world's leading provider of official hospitality programmes for major sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup. She leads the brand behind sport's most premium matchday experiences at a moment when hospitality is being reinvented — from Qatar 2022 to the E1 electric powerboat series and the road to 2026 and beyond. Her route into sport is distinctive: over a decade in luxury fashion, including Global E-Commerce Manager at Alexander McQueen and senior roles at NET-A-PORTER, plus founding her own footwear brand, GOYA.

A businessman in the sports field, Prince Turki bin Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud has held numerous sports positions in Saudi Arabia. Among his most prominent roles are:

Honorary Member of Al-Nassr FC

Supervisor of the Saudi National Team

President of the Arab Football Federation

Former Member Saudi Football Federation SAFF.

Former Superintendent Saudi National Football Team

Senn began his career at Arthur Andersen in 1990, joining the Prisa Group's AS newspaper in 1998 as Assistant General Manager, Finance and HR. He joined Real Madrid Club de Fútbol in 1999, working as General Manager, executing the project of reorganization and integral modernization of the club. He joined Garrigues in 2002 as the Partner in charge of the Sports & Entertainment area, where he has provided comprehensive advice to entities in the world of sports and entertainment, as well as providing comprehensive advice to athletes, artists, and professionals in these sectors.

A businessman in the sports field, Prince Turki bin Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud has held numerous sports positions in Saudi Arabia. Among his most prominent roles are:

Richa Singh is Co-Founder of Spectatr.ai, the AI platform automating sports content creation and distribution — turning live sport and esports into instant highlights, sponsor analytics and fan engagement for leagues, broadcasters and media owners across cricket, football, basketball and the biggest esports titles. A serial entrepreneur, she previously co-founded FanClash, the Gurugram-based esports fantasy platform that scaled to Series B, from which Spectatr was born. An MBA graduate of IIM Ahmedabad, Richa builds at the meeting point of three of sport's fastest-moving currents: artificial intelligence, esports and the battle for fan attention — the exact frontier Gulf sport is now investing in.

Supervisor of the Saudi National Team

Ben Harburg is Chairman of Harburg Group, through which he became the first private — and first foreign — owner in Saudi Pro League history with the acquisition of Al Kholood, alongside co-ownership of Spain's Cádiz CF. The founder of MSA Capital, an international investment firm managing over $2 billion, he has been an early investor in companies including Palantir, Airbnb, Uber and Nubank. His journey into Saudi football began in the MESIF room: he attended our first edition at the Emirates Stadium in 2024, and within a year had made history in the Kingdom's club privatisation programme — the clearest proof of what happens when the right investors meet the right opportunities.

President of the Arab Football Federation

Amr El Rawi is Founder and CEO of Game Changers, the sports digital transformation company helping clubs, leagues and federations unlock commercial value through data, technology and reimagined fan experiences — with a particular focus on high-growth markets across the Middle East and Africa. An award-winning sports business leader with over 25 years spanning telecoms, technology, financial services and sport, his recent work includes partnering with Egypt's ZED FC to redefine its fan experience. He is also an investor and advisor to sports ventures including PSK Analytics, placing him at the centre of the conversation on how emerging football markets turn digital engagement into revenue.

Begoña Santiago is the Chief Financial and Operating Officer at Global Football Holdings (GFH), a multi-club ownership group with stakes in top-tier football clubs across Europe, including Brøndby IF (Denmark), Estoril Praia (Portugal), SK Beveren (Belgium), FC Augsburg (Germany), and other football-related ventures. She works closely with each club’s leadership, ensuring strategic alignment, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability.

David Davies is Group Chief Experience Officer at Catapult, the world leader in sports performance technology, whose wearables, video analysis and athlete management platforms are used by more than 4,500 teams across elite sport. He leads the global experience of a company whose data shapes decisions from training loads to transfer fees, spanning football, rugby, American football and beyond. A regular contributor to MESIF, including our London edition at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, David brings a clear view of the fastest-growing layer of sports investment: the technology and data infrastructure underneath elite performance.

Inmaculada Sanz Otero is Vice Mayor of Madrid, the second-highest office in one of Europe's great sporting capitals, where she also serves as the City Council's Spokesperson and leads its Security and Emergencies portfolio. First elected to the Council in 2015 and deputy mayor since 2019, she has twice served as acting Mayor of Madrid. Her tenure coincides with Madrid's boldest era as a global sports destination — from the transformed Santiago Bernabéu to the arrival of Formula 1's Madrid Grand Prix — placing City Hall at the centre of how major cities turn sport into economic growth, tourism and international standing.

Julie Kassap is CEO of Nu11 Sports and Director of International Relations and Strategy at TÜFAD, the Turkish Football Coaches Association. Through her consultancy she advises leading clubs across the Bundesliga, LaLiga and the Süper Lig, as well as football federations in Europe and MENA, on sports investment, marketing strategy, sponsorship and digital transformation. At TÜFAD she leads international projects spanning youth talent scouting and women's football development, and she serves on the Investment Committee of Twozero Ventures, Türkiye's first sports-focused venture capital fund. Julie works across the corridor connecting European football expertise with the capital and ambition of emerging sports markets

Lojain Alharbi is a Board Member of the Saudi Arabian Rugby Federation and served in the Sport Sector at NEOM, where she led strategic initiatives including athlete engagement, sport partnerships, sustainability programs, and the development of sport governance and operational frameworks. 

Esteban Granero is Founder and CEO of Best 11 Group, the sports holding built at the intersection of football and technology. A former midfielder for Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, QPR and Espanyol, he founded Olocip, the pioneering company applying predictive artificial intelligence to professional sport — from performance analysis and scouting to decision support — which was recently acquired by Plexus Tech to power its new Plexus Sport division. One of the rare figures to reach the top of the game on the pitch and then build category-defining technology off it, Esteban speaks with equal authority to players, owners and investors on where AI is taking football next.

Jorge Vizcaya is Head of Sports & Entertainment at Sener, the Spanish engineering group behind some of the most technically ambitious venue projects in world sport. An architect by training, he is one of the minds behind the patented Hypogea® system at the Santiago Bernabéu — the world's first retractable, underground pitch storage system, which lets Real Madrid's stadium operate year-round as a multi-event venue. Named one of ENR's Top 25 Newsmakers for 2025, Jorge brings to MESIF the engineering answer to the question every Gulf venue owner is asking: how a stadium earns its keep 365 days a year.

Michael Savva is a Partner at international law firm Watson Farley & Williams, and Head of the firm's Middle East Assets and Structured Finance group, based in Dubai. Michael specialises in cross-border finance transactions across a variety of sectors, including the sport sector, in which he has worked for over 15 years.