Women’s Sports Group Appoints Steph Harries As Managing Director

Women’s Sports Group (WSG) has announced that Steph Harries has been appointed Managing Director from September 2021.

Harries is currently Controller of Production, BBC Sport. She has 20 years experience working in senior roles at DAZN and the Perform Group as well as Sunset + Vine and North One Television and Sky Sports. She has production, commercial, financial and technical expertise with broad experience of negotiating and building strategic partnerships with broadcasters, federations, Government, rights holders and platforms to extract value and build engagement.

She is also a powerful advocate for women’s sport and helped grow the audience for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019 to the biggest UK TV audience of the year at the time of 11.7 million on BBC.

WSG was founded by Dame Heather Rabbatts and David Kogan to drive profile and value in women’s sports.

In its first year WSG has represented the Football Association to sell the broadcast rights to the Women’s Super League and Lionesses. It has also led the first successful global launch of the newly created Angel City Football Club women’s soccer team in Los Angeles. Led by Founders Natalie Portman, Kara Nortman and President, Julie Uhrman, Angel City FC’s star-studded ownership includes Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian, Abby Wambach, Billie Jean King and Eva Longoria. WSG has also advised the United Nations on using sport to engender understanding and empathy and equality.

Heather Rabbatts and David Kogan, said: “We are delighted to welcome Steph as MD of the company. She has unrivalled knowledge and experience in sport and in driving the empowerment and promotion of women in the broadcasting industry. It is an exciting time for WSG and Steph will be a huge asset in driving the objectives of the company.”

Steph Harries, said: “I am delighted to join WSG. It’s an incredibly important moment for women’s sport, with increasing popularity, driving demand for unbundled rights and boosting commercial revenues. It’s also never been more important to focus on the promotion, enhancement and empowerment of women’s sport. Alongside Heather and David, we have a unique combination of skills to seize this opportunity and deliver the objectives of the business.”