Case Studies

Chief Information Officer (CIO) & Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Client: Leading international sports rights holder Location: England, UK England, UK Flag

Client background:

Our client, a leading international sports rights holder, was undergoing a strategic shift towards digital transformation across its operation. Our client retained McBride Sport to identify and recruit key executives to fill the positions of Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).

Challenges:

  1. Digital Transformation: The CIO role required a visionary leader who could strategically leverage technology to enhance revenue, streamline operations, and ensure consistent engagement.
  2. Commercial Focus: The CCO role was critical in fostering a revenue growth culture across the organisation. The ideal candidate had to have a deep understanding of fan experience, empathy, and the ability to drive cultural change within the rights holder setting.
  3. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Both roles demanded individuals with the ability to collaborate seamlessly with elite sports professionals, IT experts, and other departments to ensure a holistic and integrated approach to revenue growth through storytelling and delivery.

Solution:

1. Competency Mapping:

With our client we developed a comprehensive competency framework outlining the technical, leadership, and interpersonal skills required for success in the CIO and CCO roles.

2. Targeted Search Strategy:

We leverage McBride Sport’s extensive network within the Sports industry and Sports technology sectors to identify candidates with a track record of successfully leading digital transformations in elite sports organisations.

3. Behavioural Assessments:

We implemented behavioural assessments to evaluate candidates' adaptability, resilience, and ability to thrive in a rapidly evolving Sports industry landscape.

4. Diversity and Inclusion:

McBride Sport proactively sought a diverse pool of candidates to promote inclusivity and bring varied perspectives to the leadership team.

Outcome:

McBride Sport successfully identified and recruited two exceptional leaders for the CIO and CCO positions. The new executives have been successful in driving the digital transformation initiatives and cultivate a revenue focussed culture within the organisation. Interdisciplinary collaboration has improved, resulting in enhanced engagement, streamlined operations, and improved overall organisational performance. Our client has emerged as a trailblazer, setting new standards for revenue growth, engagement, new activations, and technological innovation.