Matthew Radley
Course Leader and Certified Executive Coach, Matthew Radley & Associates
As the Managing Director, Matthew Radley is an EMCC Global Master Practitioner and leading Executive Coach working with CEO’s, Executive Teams, and Boards worldwide. He specialises in leading powerful Executive 1:1 and Executive Team Coaching programmes, guiding individuals out of their comfort zone using incisive questions, inquiry and observation and holding them in the zone of uncomfortable debate where true learning occurs. He is known for challenging assumptions and perceptions, championing new behaviours, and enabling clients to be braver than they thought possible. All of this coming from an increased commitment to leading their organisations with a greater level of self-awareness and belief. His ability to go beyond what has been seen or said before, combined with his high energy and expertise, ensures that he drives his clients hard throughout their journey.
Roel De Vries
Group Chief Operating Officer, City Football Group
Roel is Group Chief Operating Officer at City Football Group and is responsible for the leadership and coordination of club business operations for all ten clubs at City Football Group. He was born and educated in the Netherlands and prior to joining City Football Group, has worked in various global executive positions over the last twenty five years, including Nissan Motor Corporation gaining partnerships with the UEFA Champions league, the Rio Olympics, the International Cricket Board, the NBA in China and most notably a partnership with Usain Bolt.
Ferran Soriano
Chief Executive Officer, City Football Group
Born in Barcelona, Ferran has more than thirty years of business experience in twenty countries, in the industries of consumer goods, telecommunications, aviation and football. Holding executive positions, developing consulting projects, developing entrepreneurial ventures and investing. Since 2012 he has been the CEO of City Football Group. Ferran is also an author of a book published in more than ten countries and languages – Goal: The Ball Doesn’t Go In By Chance.
Nuria Tarre
Chief Marketing & Fan Experience Officer, City Football Group
Nuria is Chief Marketing & Fan Experience Officer and joined the City Football Group in November 2015. Her role encompasses Content and Digital platforms, Fan Relationship Management (FRM), Fan Data and Insights, Retail and Brand. Nuria joined CFG after nineteen years of experience in the telecommunications, aviation and tourism and leisure industries. Her previous position was as CEO of the biggest ski resort in the Pyrenees, Grandvalira.
Andy Etches
Co-Founder & Director at Rezzil
Andy is the Co-Founder and Sports Director for Rezzil, market leading VR training and cognitive development tool for elite football, installed in many top-tier football clubs. He has worked in sport for over ten years now, doing a wide range of roles related to data, analysis and performance. Andy’s career and knowledge took a real boost whilst working with Manchester City under Pellegrini’s title win in 2014.
Brian Marwood
Managing Director of Global Football, City Football Group
Brian began his career as a footballer, scoring more than 100 goals for Hull City, Sheffield Wednesday, Arsenal, and England. Having previously held the position of Chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), Brian joined Manchester City FC in 2009, and now holds the post of Managing Director of Global Football. Brian was instrumental in the design and creation of City Football Academy, which is widely renowned as one of the best football facilities in world. The Global Football business unit which Brian now leads, ensures that the City Football methodology in Football Performance, Human Performance, and Talent Management is consistent across the Group’s global franchises.
Diego Gigliani
Managing Director of Emerging Clubs, City Football Group
Diego joined Manchester City FC in January 2013 and currently acts as City Football Group’s Managing Director for EU, Latam, and partner clubs. In this role, Diego works directly with each club’s local senior leadership team to define objectives and targets, steer strategic decisions, and deliver Group synergies. Prior to this, Diego spent 5 years running Manchester City and CFG’s Media & Innovation activities worldwide, which included areas such as media rights, digital strategy, content creation, new product development, and commercialisation. Before joining CFG, Diego spent 13 years as a Management Consultant advising blue chip companies and start-ups on strategic, marketing, and financial decisions.
Katharine Curran
Senior Metaverse Manager, City Football Group
Kath joined CFG on the Graduate Scheme, having previously worked in the sports industry as a tennis coach and sports camp manager. Kath currently leads the group’s dedicated Metaverse Team, identifying, developing and executing projects in the Blockchain and Metaverse space. The team has led on a number of NFT drops, and is also responsible for Manchester City’s virtual experiences, working with Roblox and Sony to develop next-gen fan engagement platforms. Kath co-founded and now co-chairs City Football Group’s global Women’s Network, having written her MA Thesis on gender diversity in sport governance while at the Institute of Sports Humanities.
Esteve Calzada
Chief Commercial Officer, City Football Group
Esteve initiated his professional career in fast moving consumer goods marketing, spending 12 years as a senior executive for several multinationals such as Unilever (1990-92), Sara Lee (1993-95), Reckitt Benckiser (1995-2000) and Tiscali (2000-2002). Since then, Esteve has accumulated 20 years of experience as a senior executive in the sports industry, starting in 2002 when he was appointed Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer of FC Barcelona, where he served until the end of 2007. Esteve acted as Senior Advisor at City Football Group for several years, before becoming Chief Commercial Officer in 2019.
Omar Berrada
Chief Football Operations Officer, City Football Group
Omar is Chief Football Operations Officer at City Football Group overseeing talent management, performance services, and football intelligence for the Group. Prior to this Omar was Chief Operating Officer of Manchester City Football Club, having been promoted in September 2016 from Commercial Director for City Football Marketing. Omar also worked at FC Barcelona for almost eight years, as a Senior Media Business Development Manager and as the Head of Sponsorship, during a very successful era for the Catalan club. Omar’s expertise in football operations, sponsorship and media rights reflects over 18 years of senior-level experience in the sports industry and five years in the telecommunications sector.
Brad Simms
Chief Executive Officer, New York City FC
Brad Sims joined New York City FC as Chief Executive Officer in January 2019 ahead of the new MLS season. In this role, Brad is responsible for all aspects of the organization on a day-to-day basis, continuing to build on the Club’s successful first four seasons. Sims joined the Club after six years with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers where he served as Executive Vice President of Franchise Operations & Chief Revenue Officer. A former New Yorker, Sims spent four years at the NBA League Office in New York City serving as Vice President of Team Business Development, Team Marketing & Business Operations.
Gavin Johnson
Media Director, City Football Group
Gavin Johnson is responsible for developing CFG’s ambitions in the constantly evolving media and entertainment space, focusing on content creation, distribution, and commercial media across the growing family of CFG clubs. Previously, Gavin was Managing Director of JOE Media which grew to become Digiday European Publisher of the Year in 2019 with ground-breaking social media content including the award winning ‘House of Rugby’, ‘Liquid Football’, ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ and ‘TKO’. He also oversaw partnerships with a number of blue-chip clients including Cadbury, Guinness, Gillette, McDonald’s, Adidas, British Airways and many more.
Dr Simon Timson
Performance Director, Manchester City FC
Dr Simon Timson is Manchester City Football Club’s Performance Director and a member of the Leadership Team responsible for driving the Club’s on-pitch performance to consistently challenge for major trophies. He moved to City from the Lawn Tennis Association where he put in place a 10-year player development and performance plan which has just celebrated the emergence of Emma Raducanu and Cameron Norrie as Grand Slam and ATP Masters champions respectively. Simon was Director of Performance at UK Sport (2013 – 2016) overseeing record medal hauls at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 and Sochi Olympic Winter Games in 2014.
Patrick Knight
Director of Strategy, City Football Group
Patrick Knight is the Director of Strategy at City Football Group, with responsibility for driving strategic initiatives for both the Group and its portfolio of clubs and non-club businesses. Patrick joined City Football Group in 2014, from the management consultancy firm Oliver Wyman – where he worked for a range of clients across the European retail and leisure industries. During his time with City Football Group, he has worked on a range of projects – including the Group’s strategic planning process, new club investments & business opportunities, and league strategy support.
Michele Centenaro
Former General Secretary, UEFA
Michele Centenaro is an enthusiast of the world of sport, passionate of its sporting values, highly supportive of its socio-cultural function and, as well, knowledgeable of its entrepreneurial and political dynamics. As semi-professional footballer in Italy first, he has lived in depth the real passion for the game and the so-called “locker-room spirit”. Thereafter, he served football throughout a 30-year executive career at top-level functions both in the sports business as well as within the international sports policy makers. Michele has presided on UEFA, FIFA and EU Committees, and as the former General Secretary of the European Club Association (ECA), he has been closely involved in many of the key developments in European and World football competitions. Michele recently joined City Football Leadership Institute as a member of the Advisory Board.
Petrit Berisha
Founder, Sporting Crypto
Petrit is the founder and author of Sporting Crypto: the most popular newsletter in the intersection between Sports & Crypto. He regularly consults with global brands on Web3 strategy. He’s also an award-winning podcast creator, previously working on the blockchain insider podcast and commissioned work like “the history and future of NFTs” audio documentary.