Leaders Worth Knowing Podcast

Leaders
  • 4.7 (6)
  • Management
  • Updated Biweekly

The biggest names in the global business of sport sit down with Leaders Editorial Director, James Emmett, and Content Director, David Cushnan.

  1. 11h ago

    Belinda Moore: The Growth Director at the Hundred on a new dawn for short form cricket

    The Hundred, the ECB's short-form cricket series, is into its sixth season, but it's being billed as another 'season one'.   Fresh from selling off majority stakes in the eight competing franchises, the ECB is ushering in a new era for its unique - and uniquely positioned - summer tournament.   The sell-off process raised more than £500 million for English cricket's governing body, and brought about a devolution of operational and commercial control from the centre to the teams themselves.   With new investors - predominantly from India and the US - this is a very different proposition behind the scenes than the one that started life as something of a novelty six years ago.

  2. Jul 23

    Andy Burnham and the big UK sports jobs; what next for the Commonwealth Games?

    As Andy Burnham takes up the reins in the UK, James Emmett and David Cushnan consider the raft of big jobs available in British sport - including successors to Juliet Slot and Sally Bolton at Arsenal and Wimbledon, and potential roles running NBA Europe and the 2035 Fifa Women's World Cup.   Elsewhere, there's the final word on the World Cup - hydration breaks, Gianni Infantino - and a first look ahead to how different the 2030 edition might look, in Spain, Portugal, Morocco and South America.   And with a scaled down, slimline Commonwealth Games getting underway in Glasgow, there's time to ponder the relevance of the Games and its future funding and commercial format, amid a dwindling group of potential host cities.   ------   The Summit, part of Leaders Week London, takes place at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea FC, on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October - for the latest speakers and attendees, and to book your place, visit leadersinsport.com/leadersweek

  3. Jul 22

    Charlie Buck: the Lyvera CEO on the value of 'roaming' and other sports hospitality trends

    What are the most compelling hospitality experiences in sport? Who's buying what, when and why? And what can rights holders do to deliver more value to their premium clients.   These were the key questions put to Charlie Buck on the latest Episode of Leaders Worth Knowing.   Buck is the CEO of Lyvera, a collection of businesses focused on creating and marketing premium experiences to sports fans.   It was created earlier this year by sports hospitality giant Levy as a holding company for a number of the businesses it owns: Keith Prowse, Gullivers Sports Travel, The Experience Golf, Lime Venue Portfolio, Events International, the Venues Collection and the recently acquired iLuka Collective.   Lyvera plans to double turnover to £350m by 2028, and Buck, who has experience in senior sales and leadership roles across cricket, rugby, football, golf and triathlon, is the man tasked with delivering the growth.   Charlie Buck will be speaking at Leaders Week London on 8th October. For more information, visit https://leadersinsport.com/sport-business/leaders-events/leaders-week-london/

  4. Jul 15

    New York, Birkdale and everywhere in between: where sports industry bigwigs are spending the weekend

    The world of football administration, business leaders, celebrities and assorted VIPs are poised to descend on New York this weekend, ahead of the Fifa World Cup final. James Emmett and David Cushnan convene to discuss the who and why, and dig into the success of Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Fest, the four-day celebrity-studded collectibles festival, which is pitching up this week in the city.  They also examine who was at the highly-exclusive Sun Valley media and tech gathering this year; who found their way into the Royal Box at Wimbledon; and who is heading to Royal Birkdale this week for what’s expected to be a record-breaking Open Championship. Elsewhere, there are reflections on recent Worth Knowing conversations with Bruin Capital’s George Pyne and PSG Chief Revenue Officer Richard Heaselgrave, and the latest intelligence from around Premier League commercial departments as several clubs finalise front of shirt partnerships in the new era of no betting sponsorship. --- Join us for The Summit, part of Leaders Week London at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea FC. For more information and to secure your pass: https://leadersinsport.com/sport-business/leaders-events/leaders-week-london/

  5. Jul 14

    Bruin Capital's George Pyne - how to raise money, then spend it, build businesses up, then exit with grace

    Investor George Pyne, Founder of Bruin Capital, joins the show to share his thesis for sport and his rationale for targeting what he calls 'second level enablers' - the companies a layer below the headline-grabbing team and league properties.   In a wide-ranging conversation, he reflects on 12 years of Bruin, the investment firm he set up following a career that including a stint as COO of NASCAR between 1995 and 2006, and then nine years as President of ING.   Pyne discusses the particular challenges of raising money - he's done it four times with Bruin - and then deploying capital; his approach for working with the management teams of the organisations he's invested in; and the art of the elegant exit.   He also reflects on some of Bruin's most memorable investments, including Deltatre, Two Circles and On Location, and a current portfolio that includes production company Box to Box and Matchroom Sport, where Bruin is now a minority investor working with Barry and Eddie Hearn.   The conversation was recorded in early July, shortly before news broke of Bruin's sale of golf simulation company Full Swing to Versant for a reported $530 million.   --------   Join us for The Summit, part of Leaders Week London at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea FC. For more information and to secure your pass: https://leadersinsport.com/sport-business/leaders-events/leaders-week-london/

  6. Jul 10

    The Cannes Debate: how did PSG crack the cultural crossover code?

    PSG Chief Revenue Officer Richard Heaselgrave joins the show to lift the lid on how PSG have built value through an imaginative approach to brand identity and creative partnerships.   Heaselgrave joined PSG in May 2025 after stints leading commercial teams at World Rugby, Tennis Australia, the EFL, the NBA, and Uefa. He joins co-hosts James Emmett and Alex Charkham, who runs strategy and consulting for global sports and entertainment marketing agency Fuse, for this third and final episode of the Cannes Debate.   On the agenda: how Paris Saint-Germain built out its brand identity around Paris and everything the city stands for; the rationale and objectives behind the creative approach to activation in music, entertainment, and fashion; and a review of some of the best work and the most compelling trends at the Cannes Festival of Creativity this year.

  7. Jul 9

    Rights and wrongs: How Sky and ITV might shake-up sports media; Fifa's World Cup shenanigans

    As Sky confirms its £1.6 billion deal to acquire ITV, James Emmett and David Cushnan assemble to consider the possible ripple effect on the UK sports rights market. Are we poised for a new era of creative collaboration and shared production?   Elsewhere, there's reflections on this week's conversation with Tony Godsick, Roger Federer's agent, and how working with superstar talent - and the building of stories around them - is changing.   And in a troubled week for Fifa and Gianni Infantino, amid suggestions of political interference in the tournament, why sport and politics have always mixed, and what impact, if any, it will have on Infantino's future as President of the governing body.

  8. Jul 6

    Tony Godsick: Tennis turbulence, finding a place for the Laver Cup and the business of Roger Federer

    Few know the business of tennis as well as Tony Godsick, the long-time agent of Roger Federer and one of the founding fathers of the Laver Cup.   As preparations continue for the ninth edition of the North America versus Europe men's team event, at London's O2 Arena in September, he explains the rationale for creating the event, alongside Federer, and how its commercial performance is maturing.   Godsick also reveals how his professional relationship with Federer has changed, since the 20-time Grand Slam champion retired in 2022, and offers his take on the role of an agent, and working with world-class talent.   And, during period of significant change in tennis, he analyses the health of the sport, the business that surrounds it, and shares his perspective on the players' quest for a greater share of Grand Slam revenues, following protests - in the form of cutting short media duties - at Roland Garros and then temporarily, before a truce was called, at Wimbledon.   ---   The Summit, part of Leaders Week London takes place at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea FC, on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October. For more information head to: https://leadersinsport.com/sport-business/leaders-events/leaders-week-london/

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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The biggest names in the global business of sport sit down with Leaders Editorial Director, James Emmett, and Content Director, David Cushnan.

Information

  • Creator
    Leaders
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Leaders Worth Knowing Podcast
  • Show Website
    Leaders Worth Knowing Podcast

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