G E M D A L E Chief Commercial Officer Candidate Brief
W T A F I N A L S 2 0 1 9-2 0 2 8 Founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, the Women s Tennis Association (WTA) is the principal organising body of women s professional tennis and governs the WTA Tour. The WTA Finals is played annually at the end of the season for the top ranked players on the WTA Tour and is considered the most prestigious event after the Grand Slams. On January 18 2018, it was announced that, operated by Gemdale Sports, Shenzhen will host the WTA Finals from 2019 to 2028. According to the terms of the unprecedented 10-year agreement, the Top 8 singles players and the Top 8 doubles teams will compete for the record prize money purse of $14 million. Based in Shenzhen, China and reporting to CEO Eddy Liu, Gemdale Sports is now seeking to hire a Chief Commercial Officer.
G E M D A L E S P O R T S Founded in 2010, Gemdale Sports is a subsidiary of China s leading real estate company Gemdale Group. Through providing tennis-featured international sports education, tournaments and stadium operations, athletes training and consulting services, Gemdale Sports aims to be a comprehensive operation platform for the international sport and education business in China. In recreational tennis, Gemdale Sports owns nearly 100 tennis courts across China, making it the largest tennis club in the country. In professional tennis, Gemdale Sports is a leading operator of world-class tournaments including ATP, WTA and ITF, as well as domestic events such as the Nike Cup and China Junior Tennis Masters Tour. With its extensive experience, Gemdale is uniquely positioned to create sustainable and viable programs to harness the assets and opportunities offered by major sports and government-led initiatives in China.
ABOUT THE ROLE
R O L E S U M M A R Y With the addition of WTA Finals to its portfolio, Gemdale Sports is seeking to strengthen their team with the recruitment of experienced talents. As the Chief Commercial Officer, this role will have responsibility for the commercial strategies and revenue generating activities of all the Gemdale sports assets, including the WTA Finals, sports education, stadium operations and athlete training. As the commercial leader, this person will seek ways to better commercialise Gemdale s assets (through partnerships, licensing, etc.) from a global perspective. They will also oversee all commercial activities, providing local guidance and management support for the team.
K E Y R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S To identify and develop relationships with potential sponsors globally, proactively leading on contract negotiations and maintaining strong and effective relationships with existing global, regional and local sponsors To lead and manage the key stakeholder relationships including WTA, Gemdale Group, Corporate partners and government agencies. To research and monitor market demand and existing competitors in the area in order to set commercial goals To participate in the commercial strategy and plan definition in line with organizational business goals To coordinate marketing campaigns and sponsorship activation plans with local sponsorship agencies To plan, monitor and manage the department s resources according to budget To be the Face of the Gemdale Group for WTA Finals Shenzhen on the global stage
K E Y R E Q U I R E M E N T S Proven experience and success in a prolific, demanding and fast-paced commercial environment at an executive level 12-15 years of experience in commercial or business development roles within international sports properties based in China or 4A international or local agencies Excellent negotiation skills and able to work successfully with diverse groups Experience in and understanding of the sports market, especially in managing partnerships Confident and articulate communication with a range of stakeholders Evidence of good commercial judgment and decision-making capabilities Proven success at building excellent working relationships and operating effectively as member of executive leadership team Proficient in English; proactive; a problem-solver Ability to travel frequently High value selling and highly persuasive with a demonstrable track record
C O N T A C T SRi is a boutique global executive search and consulting firm, servicing the rapidly converging industries of media, content, technology and sport. We work as one partner-led team with 65 staff based in key global markets across 11 offices on 4 continents. We offer dedicated and specific sector, function and region expertise. Our activities extend beyond traditional executive search and include board assessment, succession planning, salary benchmarking, advising clients on their internal and external hiring strategy, new market entry and multi-vacancy projects. We are proud to be the exclusive partner in this search with Gemdale. Ting ZHANG Head of China M: +86 189 1185 5141 E: tzhang@sriexecutive.com Zhaolong LIANG Consultant, China M: +86 189 1025 1737 E: zliang@sriexecutive.com