SRi Names Global Football Advisor
August 1, 2017 – Executive search firm SRi has named former Manchester City technical director Mike Rigg as global football advisor. Mr. Rigg will focus on working with the firm’s growing list of football clients in North America, Europe, the U.K. and Asia.
Mr. Rigg has been at the forefront of global football for more than 30 years at both youth and senior international and domestic levels, serving in roles from chief scout and academy manager to chief football officer, technical director and head of talent management for organizations that include Manchester City, Fulham FC, the Football Association and the Football Association of Wales. Throughout his career, he has helped develop some of the most innovative and effective football departments around the world.
In his new role, Mr. Rigg will work alongside SRi’s global high performance team to undertake on the ground assessment, strategic football infrastructure building, coaching and consultancy services.
“Mike’s knowledge of best practice in football and stellar reputation in football will be of immense value to our clients around the world, and we are delighted to welcome him to SRi,” said Jim Chaplin, CEO of SRi.
“I’m excited to be able to use the knowledge I’ve gained throughout my career in football to help clubs and national associations all around the world improve the quality of their academies, coaching education programs, player trading set-ups and performance environments,” said Mr. Rigg. “SRi already have an impressive track record in elite level football and I’m thrilled to be joining their impressive international team.”
Sports Recruiting Finds Its Own Field of Dreams
Sports teams, from the professional level on down to college athletic programs, all now require a strong professional talent base. It’s not surprising that dozens of search firms compete hard for every plum assignment that surfaces.
SRi is an international executive search firm focused on the sports, media and entertainment sectors. It has wholly owned offices in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Singapore, Switzerland, the U.K. and the U.S. Clients include rights holders, professional clubs & teams, international federations, governing bodies, corporate sponsors, venues, major events, broadcasters, media owners, agencies and sporting goods brands.
Newly Combined Firm
SRiCheyenne was recently launched following the January merger of the U.S.-based media and content recruitment provider, Cheyenne Group, and UK-headquartered SRi (formerly Sports Recruitment International). “This merger is a significant landmark in the history of the firm and gives us a strong platform to grow the business in new markets and sectors,” said Mr. Chaplin. “The convergence of media, sports and entertainment continues to move at a rapid pace with an increasing transfer of talent between industries globally. The combination of SRi and The Cheyenne Group allows us to build an even more formidable offering and we can’t wait to get started.”
SRiCheyenne recently named Jay Hussey as CEO, taking over for founder Pat Mastandrea, who has moved into a new role at the firm as vice chairman. Mr. Hussey boasts more than 15 years in executive search with leading global recruiting firms. He joined SRiCheyenne from Odgers Berndtson where he led the firm’s U.S. technology and digital transformation practices.
SRiCheyenne is well positioned to address a rapidly evolving global marketplace that demands executive leaders who can navigate new digital and data-driven business models and consumer platforms, said Ms. Mastandrea. “Jay’s experience in digital and technology, both as a business leader and as an executive search professional, gives us even stronger capabilities with which to help our clients.”
An Expansive Field
The sports & entertainment field is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in executive search, with many C-suite-focused recruiting firms having been drawn to it as of late. Some specialize only in sports, but all are dedicated to providing sports-related executive search and leadership advisory services. In addition to SRi, they include: Turnkey, Nolan Partners, CarrSports Consulting, Korn Ferry, Harvard Group International, Prodigy Sports, Marquee Search, DHR International, Hartmann Mason, College Sports Solutions, Egon Zehnder, Heidrick & Struggles, Ascension Sports Partners, Russell Reynolds Associates, Diversified Search, Odgers Berndtson, Eastman & Beaudine, Alden Associates, Parker Executive Search, Neinas Sports Services and Collegiate Sports Associates.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
