2024

With over 15 years of experience in energy and sustainability roles for high street brands such as Sainsbury’s, Starbucks and WeWork, Jaz brings a wealth of knowledge covering topics such as energy management, waste reduction, sustainable packaging, behaviour change and social impact. In 2015 she was awarded a Royal Honours by King Charles III for her services to the sustainability sector. Jaz volunteers much of her time as a STEM Ambassador to help raise the awareness of energy/engineering careers, helping to create a pipeline of future energy professionals.

Having worked in media and sport for over twenty years, Mihir joined World Rugby in 2019 as the international federation’s first Director of Strategy. His current role as Chief Strategy Officer now encompasses responsibility for Diversity and Sustainability, as well as Strategy Development.

Mihir was formerly Director of Strategy & Research at Sport England where he was responsible for the performance management of £1bn of public investment into grassroots sport. His introduction of new insights and tools to the sector helped boost sports participation by 700,000 adults, the first ever recorded increase. Whilst at Sport England he also designed and launched the country’s first fund dedicated to boosting female participation.

Previously Head of Strategy for BBC Sport, where he worked on rights and genre strategy, he is also a former Deputy-Chair of Sporting Equals, the body responsible for racial inclusion in UK sport.

Originally an economist and management consultant, Mihir joined World Rugby from global advertising network MullenLowe Group. In his role there he won Grands Prix at the IPA Effectiveness and Spikes Asia Awards and helped the business top the Effie Index.

Mihir has a degree in Economics from Cambridge University and an MBA from SDA Bocconi.

Sophie Goldschmidt is the President & Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the governing body for 10 different snow sports in the United States. She is a dynamic, senior, global leader with a broad and deep proven experience in sports, entertainment,
media and technology.

Throughout her career, Sophie has been at the forefront of successfully globalizing and innovating sports, media and entertainment properties, while also driving significant commercial growth and elevating brands. Prior to U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Sophie was CEO of the World Surf League (WSL) and held leadership, commercial and marketing roles at the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the PGA European Tour, Adidas and the global sports marketing & entertainment agency CSM.

Sophie is a Board Member for Tersa, LOVB, the Salt Lake City Olympic Bid Committee and the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

She is also a member of the Women’s Sports Network (WSN) Advisory Board and advises a number of other companies.

A seasoned professional with 25 years of extensive experience in the media and sports industry, encompassing roles across agencies, broadcasters, governing bodies, and rights holders. Her career is distinguished by her commitment to leveraging the sports industry to drive sustainable commercial growth, engage a diverse fan base, and enact positive societal change.

Currently serving as Formula E’s Chief Media Officer, Aarti spearheads the organization’s media partnerships and distribution strategies, content across all platforms, digital product development, and broadcast coverage, all aimed at growing fans and enhancing engagement for the championship. Her expertise includes a profound knowledge of audience growth and revenue enhancement through strategic media rights management, content and product development, and innovative brand and content partnerships. Aarti’s approach is characterized by her reliance on data insights and industry knowledge to guide decision-making and her capability in building and nurturing stakeholder relationships, alongside leading diverse, high-performing teams.

Aarti is known within the sports and media industry for her engaging and empathetic leadership style. Her career includes over a decade at the International Cricket Council, with other significant roles at Ten Sports and IMG Media/TWI.

Originally from India, Aarti started in sports broadcasting in 1999 with IMG TWI in Delhi. She now spends her time between London, Dubai, and Formula E’s exciting race locations around the world.

Currently, as Head of Partnerships and Race Locations at Extreme E, a pioneering motorsport series focused on electric (and soon hydrogen) off-road racing, Phelan is responsible for crafting and implementing effective partnership strategies, as well as working closely with tourism boards, local governments, and private investors to identify new race locations worldwide.

Before this, Phelan served as International Head of Strategy and Consulting at Nielsen Sports, where he provided high-level strategic advice to major sports organisations and brands, with an impressive portfolio including FIFA, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Premier League, top European football clubs, World Athletics, and leading brands like Heineken and PepsiCo. His expertise covered partnership strategy, sponsorship sales, and innovative business growth tactics.

Phelan’s early career includes significant roles in the public and legal sectors. He worked at HM Treasury, advising government ministers on important policy and strategy matters, and practiced law at a prestigious City law firm.

Outside of his professional career, Phelan is a decorated athlete. He represented Team GB at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where he earned both a Gold and Bronze medal in rowing. In addition to his Olympic success, he is also a three-time World Champion in the sport.

With over 20 years of experience spanning Tech, Media, FMCG, and Telecom, Marijn is a dynamic and results-driven leader known for combining deep industry expertise with an innovative mindset. In her current role, Marijn oversees all UEFA sponsorships, leading impactful partnerships that blend commercial success with a strong commitment to environmental and social sustainability. She is particularly proud of the numerous initiatives launched in collaboration with UEFA, which have contributed to meaningful change in these areas.

Ruth Daniels is a passionate sports enthusiast and dynamic leader. As CEO of British Triathlon, Ruth combines her passion for sport with a commitment to creating a more active and inclusive society. Ruth’s dynamic approach has driven transformative change across various sectors, from listed companies to not-for-profits. Her expertise in governance, commercial strategy, and business transformation has seen her lead major initiatives, including IPOs and growth-scaling.

Ruth is a champion for ESG, believing it is pivotal to an organisation’s ability to engage stakeholders and create value, with reputational risk, corporate ethics, organisational culture, integrity, and ED&I strategy at the core of her experience. She is particularly determined to elevate the impact of sport in our communities, advocating for a more active nation and emphasizing sports’ contributions to teamwork, leadership development, environmental sustainability, and the cultivation of positive role models.

Ruth’s volunteer work with Women in Sport, Rounders England, and Triathlon England underscores her dedication to inspiring collaboration and embedding sustainable practices within sport.

Sam Booth is the Director of Sustainability for AEG Europe, a global leader in music, sport, and live entertainment. In this role, Sam is responsible for overseeing the sustainability strategies and initiatives across the business’ world-leading venues, festivals and tours, including London’s The O2 and American Express presents BST Hyde Park, as well as Berlin’s Uber Arena.

A passionate advocate for a more sustainable live industry, Sam is also the Co-Chair of National Arena Association Green Group and acting representative for the NAA on LIVE Green, the music industry green association.

Prior to joining AEG in 2023, Sam gained over 10 years’ experience working across high-profile event production and sustainability projects with some of the world’s biggest brands, including Nestle, adidas, and Pernod Ricard.

Pragnya is an elite triathlete and IOC Young Leader from India who has made significant strides in both sports and sustainability. Starting her athletic journey at age 8, she became a national champion and led India’s triathlon debut at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She is also a Chartered Accountant and a TEDx speaker, showcasing her multifaceted talents.

Pragnya’s innovative project, “Ek Beti, Ek Cycle” (One Daughter, One Cycle), addresses educational barriers by providing bicycles to rural girls who travel long distances to attend high school. This initiative promotes recycling and environmental sustainability by refurbishing unused bicycles from urban students. Since 2023, her project has distributed hundreds of cycles, with a goal of reaching 1,000 girls by the end of this year.

Her work has inspired change at multiple levels, from mobilizing local volunteers to influencing national policies and connecting with global changemakers through the IOC Young Leaders program. Pragnya’s dedication to promoting gender equality, education, and sustainability exemplifies her leadership and commitment to making a positive impact.