Viaplay promotes Cecilia Gave to EVP and head of sport and more

Viaplay Group has appointed Cecilia Gave as Executive Vice President and Head of Sports, replacing her previous position as Vice President of Sports Production at the Nordic media company.

In her new role, Gave will oversee the strategic development and coordinate the management of Viaplay’s sports activities in all relevant markets. She first joined the company in 2016 and has held various leadership positions including Vice President and Head of Sport Norway, Senior Vice President and Group Head of Viafree and Operations Manager for MTG Sport Sweden.

Gave replaces Peter Nørrelund who resigned last month.

“I am honored and honored to take on the responsibility of leading Viaplay Group’s esports operations into the next stages of our journey,” said Gave.

“Over the years, our company has become synonymous with world-class sports entertainment and I look forward to working even more closely with our talented teams to further strengthen our position and continue to improve the viewing experience for sports enthusiasts and beyond.”

Anders Jensen, President and CEO of Viaplay Group, added: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Cecilia as our new Head of Sport. Cecilia brings a perfect mix of relevant experience and fresh new perspectives, which are crucial in a rapidly evolving media industry.

“Viaplay has a unique market position with a portfolio of world-class sports rights combined with great live coverage and studios. Now is the time to continue leveraging these rights, to drive growth and to maximize their full potential in our markets.” Cecilia’s extensive experience and leadership qualities make her the ideal choice to lead our sports division into the exciting future.”

Elsewhere, tech giant Meta has carried out its latest round of layoffs, which has seen several top sports executives leave the company. As reported by Sportico, Rob Shaw, head of global sports media partnerships, Kevin Cote, director of sports partnerships, and Dev Sethi, who oversaw partnerships between sports creators and college athletes, have all left the company.

Nike has reshuffled several of its senior executives, appointing Heidi O’Neill as President of Consumer, Products and Brand, Craig Williams as President of Regions and Markets, Sarah Mensah as President of Jordan Brand, and Scott Uzzell as Vice President and General Manager for North America, and Andy Campio as Managing Director for strategic business ventures.

In addition, Matthew Friend, Nike’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, will expand his responsibilities to include sourcing, global locations and services, and demand and supply management. Michael Spillane, President of Consumer Creation, will retire later in 2023 after 16 years with the company.

Events

Jorge Garbajosa
President, Fiba Europe
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Pascale Van Damme
President of the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA)
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Juan Carlos Rodriguez
President of the Mexican Football Federation (FMF)

Michael Winger
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Previously: General Manager of the Los Angeles Clippers

Joie Chitwood
General Manager, Presidents Cup 2026, PGA Tour
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Ryan Shaw
Executive Creative Director, Octagon UK
Previously: Creative Director, Octagon

Pietro Moro
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departures

Brigitte Henriques
President of the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF)
Notes: CNOSF Secretary General Astrid Guyart will assume the presidency on an interim basis.

Martin Semens
Managing Director, Southampton FC
Note: Henrik Kraft remains chairman of the club and acts as interim managing director.

Sanjay Patel
Chief Executive of The Hundred, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
Notes: Patel will be leaving upon the conclusion of this year’s competition.

Lisa Murray
Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Diversity Officer, Octagon
Notes: Murray will be leaving the company at the end of August.

Barry Blyn
Vice President of Research, Insights and Analysis, ESPN

Justin Reeves
Managing Director of Hawthorn Football Club
Note: Ash Klein, Hawthorn’s Chief Commercial Officer, has been appointed acting CEO of the Australian Football League (AFL) club.

Yao Ming
Chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA)
Notes: Yao, eight-time National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star, was replaced by Xu Jicheng.

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