Leaders in Performance are pleased to announce Gatorade as their 3rd corporate partner.

Arif Haq from Gatorade UK commented, “Gatorade has been driving performance since its creation in 1965. As the biggest, best and most researched sports drink in the world, Gatorade is already a Leader in performance. We look forward to supporting what promises to be a fantastic event.”‪‪

“Gatorade’s relationship with Chelsea FC, Usain Bolt, the Guinness Premiership, and a host of other elite sports are proof positive of their continued investment in international sports performance. They dominate the US market and we are delighted to help them establish a stronger foothold in Europe. They are a massive asset to Leaders in Performance and are a perfect fit with our ambition to create an exclusive event for the best of the best,” explained Event Director Andy Rice.

They join a ‘best-of-breed’ sponsor team of Pro Zone and Championship Manager to complement an unparalleled line up of speaking talent that pools knowledge from the sports of football, rugby, NBA, athletics, tennis, WNBA, and the NHL.
Leaders in Performance is a unique event where 150 global sports leaders who make sporting performance their business come together to share best practice.
The event will run concurrently alongside the second day of “Leaders in Football”, the world’s most exclusive football business event, thereby creating a unique networking and elite performance conference.

Notes to editors
1. Gatorade was created in 1965 after the University of Florida’s gridiron coach came to the medical faculty with a problem – his players were wilting in the heat. The scientists developed a drink that was designed to replace the essential mineral salts and fluids the players were losing through sweat. The team was called the Florida Gators and the drink was christened ‘Gator-ade’. Within two years the team had won their first ever Orange Bowl. When the coach of the opposing team, Georgia Tech, the favourites to lift the trophy, was asked why his team had lost, he told reporters, “We didn’t have Gatorade – that made the difference.”
2. Built in 1988, the laboratories of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute are based just outside Chicago. The GSSI is a research and educational facility established to share current information and expand knowledge on sports nutrition and exercise science to enhance the performance and well-being of athletes. The materials and services of the Institute are designed as educational tools for sports health professionals.
In addition to the GSSI’s own exercise physiology, biochemistry and exercise sensory labs, it also works with leading scientists from universities around the world to further research in exercise science and sports nutrition. The Institute currently serves nearly 110,000 members in over 145 countries worldwide.
3. Gatorade became part of the PepsiCo portfolio in 2001. It is currently available in 80 countries worldwide.

Speakers include:
Dave Brailsford, CBE
Performance Director, British Cycling Federation
Much of the success of British cycling’s 14 medals, including eight golds, at the Beijing Olympics can be attributed to Dave Brailsford. Known for his attention to detail, understanding of elite performance traits, advances in technology and the ability to get the best out of athletes, Brailsford epitomises what can be achieved when science is ruthlessly applied to sport. Winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Coach Award, Brailsford is already plotting British Cycling’s bid to retain the number 1 position in the Olympic medal table when the games come to London in 2012.

Bruno DeMichelis
Asst. Manager, Chelsea FC
De Michelis has been credited with Chelsea’s new mental toughness – reference a stronger nerve in the Community Shield penalty shoot out with Man Utd. In a recent interview, Sun reporter Ian McGarry commented, “Combined with Ancelotti’s technical prowess, the marriage of evolutionary sports science and proven motivational techniques could prove a winning one. One it comes to a 12th man, there is almost no one you would rather have on your side”.

Steve McClaren
Manager, FC Twente
From a successful period as coach with Derby, and then Assistant Manager at Man Utd (winning a unique treble in his first year), McClaren then went on to manage Middlesbrough through the most successful period in their history. Then came the England Manager’s role which was a job he could not turn down but later admits one that should have been his “last” rather than his “next” one. Now he is back in Club Management with FC Twente where he achieved a Cup final and Champions League qualification in his first year.

Mike Forde
Performance Director, Chelsea FC
Mike Forde was appointed Performance Director for Chelsea Football Club in August 2007. Through this role he is involved in all areas of performance relating to the Senior Squad, including player recruitment, medical, sport science, psychology and performance analysis to drive player selection. Prior to joining Chelsea, Mike served in a similar position for Bolton Wanderers where, in a 5 year spell, the team never finished outside the Premiership top ten and qualified for the UEFA Cup twice – an extraordinary achievement for a club of its size.

Damien Comolli
Sports Director, St Etienne
Damien is one of the most knowledgeable Sporting Directors in Football with an extensive network of player information from around the world. Having started his coaching career at AS Monaco he joined Arsenal in 1996 spending 7 years as their European scout and was credited with the discovery of several of Arsenal’s players such as Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue and Gael Clichy. After a brief and successful spell at St Etienne he was appointed Director of Football at Tottenham Hotspur with overall responsibility for the medical, academy, scouting and club secretarial departments, replacing the outgoing Frank Arnesen and is now back at St Etienne as their Sporting Director.

Valter di Salvo
Head of Performance, Real Madrid
Valter was re-signed by the then Spanish champions from Manchester United and is now Director of the Real Madrid High Performance Centre. Heavily involved in setting the personal and team performance schedules of the Real Madrid players, Valter is one of the most learned Performance Directors in football and was a Professor of Theory and Methodology of Sport Training at Rome’s University Institute of Motor Science having completed a Ph.D. in Sports Science.

Chris White
President, Minnesota Timberwolves NBA/ Minnesota Lynx WNBA
As President of a high profile sports franchise, Wright is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the team, encompassing all aspects of player and business performance. With 18 years of top level management at the Timberwolves he leads a senior management group responsible for setting the strategic direction and developing a culture of success.

Bernie Mullin
Ex-President & CEO of Atlanta Hawks NBA team and Atlanta Thrashers NHL team
Bernie is one of the most respected figures in American professional sports and brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience as a former Senior VP of Team Affairs for the NBA, President of the Atlanta Hawks NBA team as well as President of the Thrashers NHL team. With an MBA and PhD in business, and having bought and sold numerous top players in American sport, Bernie is the perfect addition to the conference platform to provide a US perspective on the business of team affairs.

Roger Draper
CEO, Lawn Tennis Association
Roger is currently leading the transformation of British Tennis with a new world class tennis team, a clear strategy that has been widely acclaimed, and an organisation that’s been modernised to perform in the 21st century sports environment. His wide experience in the “business of sport” has included time as CEO of Sport England, leading a major review and re-organisation of the 500m spent on sport in this country, involvement in the London 2012 bid and Team England’s 2006 Commonwealth Games campaign. As an elite athlete, Roger has gained international honours in both rugby league and tennis.

Frank Dick, OBE
Coaching has been Frank’s raison dtre for decades, inspiring world-beating performances from some of the top names in sport – Daley Thompson, Boris Becker, Gerhard Berger, Denise Lewis, Marat Safin and Katarina Witt. Currently he is the President of the European Athletics Coaches Association and a board member of the UK Sports Institute, Scottish Institute of Sport and member of the IAAF Coaches Commission. Frank is also renowned for being one of the best motivational speakers of today.
www.leadersinperformance.com

For further press information to arrange a press pass or to arrange interviews with speakers, please contact;

Andy Rice
0208 5451595
andy@leadersinfootball.com

For Gatorade

Jamie Jarvis
0207 736 1741
jamie@jaj-communications.com