The European Sponsorship Association (ESA) is pleased to announce that Misha Sher, Global Vice President at MediaCom Sport & Entertainment, has been appointed to its board of directors.
Misha will replace much-loved industry veteran Toby Hester, who passed away in September 2019, on ESA’s 15-person board of directors.
Head here to see ESA’s tribute to Toby
With more than 15 years of experience in sports marketing and sponsorship, Misha’s unique skill-set will assist ESA in its role to inspire, unite and grow the sponsorship industry. At MediaCom, he has built an award-winning global business, working with some of the world’s most admired brands and talent, including Toyota, Shell, American Airlines, Allianz, Pelé, Brian Lara, Mesut Özil and Eniola Aluko.
An existing member of the ESA Awards steering committee, Misha has also served as a Cannes Lions juror and co-authored a book on branded entertainment. He lectures on Sports Marketing to leading MBA programmes and his thought leadership has featured in The New York Times, CNN, The Drum, Bloomberg, BBC and many more.
Sher said: “I have had the privilege to have been at the heart of this industry for the past two decades and have experienced it from all sides of the table. With the impact of traditional advertising continuing to decline, the role of partnerships that encompass media, technology, entertainment, sport and gaming, will become even more critical.
“The future is all about connecting through culture and I’m very much looking forward to working alongside my ESA Board colleagues to provide our members across Europe with the very best resources to excel in this dynamic industry.”
“It will be difficult to fill the big void left by the sudden passing of a dear friend and close industry colleague, Toby Hester, but I’m committed to bringing the same level of commitment and enthusiasm which Toby has brought to ESA over so many years.”
ESA Chairman, Andy Westlake, said:
"ESA has gone from strength to strength in recent years, and having someone of Misha’s calibre is a huge boost to our mission to inspire, unite and grow the sponsorship industry. Toby Hester contributed so much during his 18 years with ESA and I’m sure Misha will honour that legacy through his work on the ESA Board for years to come.”
–ENDS–
MISHA SHER – BIOGRAPHY
Misha Sher is Global Vice-President at MediaCom Sport & Entertainment and has been at the forefront of the sponsorship industry for more than 15 years.
He has negotiated and advised on more than £1B in sponsorship investments with major sport & entertainment properties, including UEFA, IOC, NFL and F1 in more than 25 countries.
At MediaCom, he has built and scaled an award-winning global sport & entertainment business that sits at the intersection of sport, media, lifestyle and culture, with clients that include some of the biggest blue-chip brands like Toyota, Shell, Richemont, American Airlines and Allianz as well as top talent such as Pelé, Brian Lara, Mesut Özil and Eniola Aluko, to name a few.
Misha is a published author and his opinions are regularly featured in leading media outlets including The New York Times, BBC Radio4, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, CNN, Sky, CMO, The Drum, Marketing Magazine and Sport Business International.
For media queries, please contact:
Max Weber
Marketing Communications and Events Manager – ESA
Email: maxweber@sponsorship.org / Phone: +44 (0)20 8390 3311