Nielsen Sports South Africa’s new Senior Client Service Manager has a background in the events and activations industry, and is getting to grips with his new role and looking at South African sport through a different lens.
Q: What have you learnt about the South African sports industry in your first month in the job?
A: I am now watching and talking about sport a lot more than ever before, particularly with a critical eye, instead of just for enjoyment of the sport. This has opened my eyes to the importance of sports sponsorships, branding/logo placements, team valuations, influencer deals and the opportunities that rights-holders have to acquire and maximise their sponsorship deals.
Q: As Senior Client Service Manager, what’s your priority?
A: Service my clients by understanding exactly what their problems are, so that I can provide them with solutions and help them make informed decisions about their brands, and evaluate how they are performing. The solutions we provide are not only driven by the report data that our team sources and constructs in a concise format, but largely by the insights that come as a result of the research undertaken and performance of the data. I need to ensure we service our clients fast and efficiently, so that we can retain them on a long-term basis.
Q: You joined Nielsen Sports from experiential agency Sonic State. What learnings from your nine years there have you taken into your new job?
A: That teamwork makes the dream work! From an operational point of view, I think it is extremely important to understand how various departments and individual roles within a team are co-ordinated to create a well-oiled ecosystem. Operating in silos is an inefficient way of working, as anyone in a team structure can contribute positively in some way or another when a new or different perspective is brought into the equation. Another important learning is to have and maintain good relationships with people, both in and out of the work environment.
Q: Would you say your experience with a number of different brands was advantageous, or do you start with Nielsen Sports on a completely clean slate?
A: It’s a bit of a tough question, but I would say it’s a bit of both. My experience on different brands and projects has exposed me to different ways of working and applying strategic thinking on many different levels. That’s in addition to my skill, set which I think I can use to my advantage, as I start on a clean slate. There is no singular way of doing things right, so the fresh perspective can spark new ideas and processes in a new work environment.
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Q: What’s your view on the state of the South African sports industry, from a commercial point of view?
A: I think there is a huge gap of opportunity that’s waiting to be filled, in terms of how sport in South Africa is run as a business. We can only get there if we take and exercise the learnings from other markets and have decision-makers in place to make the necessary decisions to get us there. I think our current political and historic legacy behind certain sports disciplines is holding us back in our overall development. I believe that we need a new dynamic way of thinking to help turn the sports industry around and convert existing sporting disciplines into those that are sought after, with great development programmes in place from grassroots levels, all the way to domestic and international levels. I believe with great operating structures in place, we will see more participation (particularly in women’s sport, which has a huge opportunity for growth), more sponsorships, more viewership, and ultimately more investment in the sporting industry.
Q: What do you view as the biggest impact of Covid-19 on the way sport is run, consumed, commercialised etc?
A: Definitely the restrictions on attendance at sports stadiums, which has had a huge impact on the commercial benefit to rights-holders, sponsors, teams, retailers, and traders, as well as the tourism and sports industry as whole.
Q: What about your personal sporting interests, favourite teams, players etc?
A: I grew up watching and playing cricket – I loved watching the likes of Jonty Rhodes, Allan Donald, Graeme Smith, Makhaya Ntini and Herschelle Gibbs. Seeing the sport evolve into more fast-paced exciting ODI and T20 formats and the IPL has been quite fascinating, and it has given the sport a lot of life. Another sport I love is Formula 1. With my red Ferrari shirt that I wear on race weekends, I am definitely part of the Tifosi!
Q: Outside of sport, what are your personal interests?
A: In terms of sports interests – I enjoy mountain biking and road running. I really find it peaceful being out in the wilderness and it is my way of disconnecting from a fast-pace life and all the stresses of our daily lives. Outside of sport, I love to travel when I can – particularly quick weekends away where I can discover hidden gems with my partner. Lastly, I love good food, so eating out is high up there on my list of favourite things to do.
Q: Early mornings or late nights? And what’s your ‘go-to’ to deal with stress and unwind?
A: I’d say early mornings. It’s great to get a fresh start ahead of everyone, fit in exercise and set aside some time for studies and personal productivity for other passion projects without distraction, before I start my working day. Playing with my nine-month-old daughter is a current form of de-stressing, as she brings so much joy and purpose to my heart.
