Soccerex is delighted to announce that Nic Coward, the English Premier League General Secretary, will be speaking on the ‘League Governance and Development’ session at the inaugural Soccerex African Forum in Durban, 23-24 October.

The domestic game across Africa has grown and developed in recent years but still has far to go. As General Secretary, Mr. Coward will be able to give an expert insight into how one of the most successful leagues in the world of sport is run. Along with senior representatives from other major leagues, the session will provide a detailed analysis of how the Premier League and others like the PSL, address the governance challenges common to all, and provide insights into what routes African federations might adopt in order to develop their professional football leagues.

Mr. Coward’s first involvement with football was as a lawyer for the Football Association, brought in to modernise its governance. He subsequently spent eight years at the FA in charge of its corporate and legal affairs, events and football administration, and including two periods as acting Chief Executive in 1999 and 2002. He was also a director at the old and new Wembley. Before joining the Premier League, he spent four years as the first Chief Executive of a new governing and regulatory body for horse racing, overseeing major changes in the second biggest spectator sport in Britain as it successfully responded to Government criticism.

Commenting on his involvement Nic Coward said:
“It is great to be involved in the Soccerex African Forum. We are looking forward to the opportunity to share experiences at such an exciting time for football across Africa. Every country is different, but the issues we face are largely the same. Hopefully, the Premier League story will have something in it to help all leagues and federations, and Governments and commercial partners, as they continue to grow. ”

Speaking on the announcement, Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie said:
“We are delighted that Nic will be speaking at the Soccerex African Forum. It is great to have the support from the Premier League. Nic’s expertise and experience will be key to the session and offer the attendees a great insight into league governance and development.”

About Soccerex
Established in 1995, Soccerex is the leading provider of business events for the global football community. Bringing together key industry decision makers from the world of football, Soccerex provides a unique commercial environment where delegates can benefit from exclusive business opportunities, networking and bespoke educational content.

Since its launch 17 years ago, Soccerex has hosted over 27 events across five continents. The Soccerex portfolio includes an annual Global Convention complimented by continental Forums and regional Seminars.

About the African Forum
The Soccerex African Forum is a new Soccerex event focusing on a mixture of continental and global football issues; the Forum will bring together the leading decision makers in African football business with their counterparts from around the world for two days of unrivalled learning, networking and commercial opportunities. It is held in Durban, South Africa, 23-24 October; the event will take place in conjunction with Kwazula-Natal Province and EThekwini Municipality.

For full information about Soccerex and future Soccerex events please visit http://www.soccerex.com // call +44 (0)20 8742 7100 // email enquiry@soccerex.com