Tottenham, Sunderland, SABC and Primedia to speak at Soccerex African Forum

October 18, 2012

Soccerex is delighted to announce a host of new international speakers for the inaugural Soccerex African Forum, denture 23-24 October.

Footballing legend John Barnes and South African Minister of Sports Fikile Mbalula will be joined at the opening ceremony by the Premier of the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Zweli Mkhize and the MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mrs. Sibhidla-Saphetha, who will officially open the Forum and welcome the attendees.

In an exclusive Soccerex session, a host of leading industry figures will be speaking on ‘Sponsoring the National Game’, which will look at the benefits and challenges for clubs, nations and companies who decide to sponsor African football. Lined up to speak are Stanley Matthews, Sport and Commercial Director for Africa, SuperSport; Mike Farnan, International and National Marketing Director, Sunderland FC; Tracey Keenan, Head of Global Partnerships at Tottenham Hotspur FC; Sizwe Nzimande, Head of Sport, SABC; David Sidenberg, Partner Sponsorship Strategy & Rights Commercialisation, BMI Sport Info; Lyndon Barends, CEO, Primedia Sport.

On another session, Premier League Head of Public Affairs Tim Vine, Special Olympics CEO Annemarie van Wieringen and Vision RSM Director Creesen Naicker will look at the important relationship between football and CSR, highlighting their individual projects on the continent.

In a special managers’ session, Ted Dumitru, former South Africa manager and current Technical Director at Soccer Institute at NW University, will join another former South Africa manager and 1996 AFCON winner Clive Barker, to discuss the challenges faced by national sides coaches and what can be done to encourage more African managers to take up coaching.

You can see a full conference programme for the inaugural Soccerex African Forum here.

The first Soccerex African Forum will feature a detailed conference programme with some of the biggest names in football, with a packed exhibition and a programme of networking events which will build on the business legacy of Soccerex’s three year stay in South Africa (2007-2009) for the Global Convention and help develop the legacy of 2010 FIFA World CupTM across Africa.

For further information about this event please call +44 (0)20 8987 5522 or visit http://www.soccerex.com/events/africa/