Last week we highlighted the advance in the careers of eight of our Sport for Business / PwC 30 under 30.

Today, on the eve of starting to publish the 2023 list, we look at another eight of the near 200 talented young individuals we have identified and highlighted working in or around the business of sport.

Those who have been selected over the past number of years are a group that has since gone on to advance into serious positions of leadership, to create game-changing companies of their own, and to prove that age should never be a barrier to talent and ability.

Naomi Sabherwal (2018) was Head of Commercial Marketing and Communications for AIG Ireland, when she was part of the list in 2018 and clearly setting up for a bright future. In 2022 She moved to take on a similar role with the company based in Dubai and working across the Gulf States and North Africa.

Eoin McGirl (2018) was a Social Media Manager with Aer Lingus bringing their sponsorships to life back in 2018. In May of 2022 he switched to Bank of Ireland where he is now the Brand Social and Content Manager

Natalie Tennyson (2018) was External Communications Manager at Bank of Ireland working on the Bank’s Rugby partnerships back in 2018. That year she left to join Pfizer where she is now working as a Senior Manager in External Communications for international Developed markets.

David McGill (2019) was the youngest CEO of an Irish sport in that position with Badminton Ireland when he was part of the 2018 list. In October 2022 he switched into eSports taking up a position as Business Operations Manager within Project Stryker at Riot Games.

Eimhear Breen (2021) was Brand and Sponsorship Manager at Boylesports when she made the list in 2021. Responsible for activations across horse and greyhound racing, football, and darts, in January of this year she moved over the Britain to take up a position as Sponsorship manager with Sky Betting and Gaming.

Daniel O’Toole (2016) was in our first wave of 30 Under 30 while he was working as the Financial Governance Programme Manager with Fifa. He has subsequently gone on to become the Head of the General Office of the Deputy General Secretary of the world governing body of football, one of the highest-placed Irish officials working at the highest levels of global sport.

Jenny Kelly (2018) was a Consultant with Teneo when she joined the list in 2018. In 2019 she headed for Australia’s shore before returning to Ireland in February 2020 and taking on a role with Basketball Ireland. In April 2021 she became GAA Sponsorship manager with Bord Gáis Energy

Jay Wilson (2017) was the Partnerships manager at Lidl Ireland in 2017. Having taken time to go travelling he returned to a Marketing role in Currys and in September 2022 became Marketing Campaign manager with Three Ireland.

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So, who do you work with that has shone over the past twelve months or more and is deserving of recognition as they rise through their career? It could be someone in another company that has impressed you in their dealings with you or someone you have admired from a distance.

Over the coming weeks, we will be launching a new podcast series talking to some of those that have gone before and next September we will do likewise with a number of this year’s ‘intake’.

Criteria

The criteria for submission is that the person should be working within the sports industry, or in a sponsorship or agency capacity that is bringing sport to life, and that they should be born in or after 1993.

You are invited to submit names and a short precis of why an individual deserves to be recognised below.

Our ambition from the start has been to create a network of people making a real difference within our industry.

Who should we be looking to for the next wave of excellence?

This is an opportunity to put forward those you have come across that have struck you as having real potential, to be part of our next generation of leaders.

It’s not about where they are now. It’s all about where they could get to with the right breaks.

The list publication for this year starts on Wednesday, March 1st.