Catalyse connections and conversations that drive an inclusive sports industry

Be The Lead is a refreshed commitment from Leaders for 2025 and beyond to drive impact in the global sports industry.  

The commitment aims to bridge the gap between the Leaders Community of over 2,200 underrepresented professional executives across the women in sport and black excellence communities we’ve engaged over the last 10 years, to the wider professional sports industry and the executives we reach throughout the year.  

By using our unique position, at the heart of a network of global sports executives, to catalyse connections and conversations, you can transform your cultural currency and deliver growth. 

Get Involved

A look back through history

Leaders Inclusivity Initiatives Through the Years

2015-2016

LEADERS MEET: THE GAME CHANGERS

In partnership with Barclays

2017- 2018

THE XX SERIES

In partnership with UEFA

2018 – 2025

LEADERS MEET: DIVERSITY SERIES

In partnership with Meta.

2025 Onwards

BE THE LEAD

Bridging the gap between Leaders senior stakeholders and the underrepresented communities that have been nurtured over the last ten years.

Leaders Commitments

Leaders are committed to enabling inclusivity to transform culture and enable business results. Be The Lead with therefore:

ACCELERATING ACCESS

  • Since 2018 Leaders have built a community of over 2200 professional industry leaders from unrepresented communities
  • In 2025, Leaders will provide continued global community experiences and live in-person events for underrepresented individuals
  • 300 places are reserved at Leaders events throughout 2025 and given to individuals who wouldn’t otherwise gain access to the network and learning

CONNECTING TO THE C-SUITE

  • With a core audience of international executives, including C-Suite decision makers in sport, Leaders are uniquely positioned to share the content and discussion surrounding a more inclusive sports industry with a broad reach of influencers
  • In 2025, Leaders will continue to produce regular content aimed at educating and inspiring the industry across the regularly podcasts, short format social content, speaker series, and newsletters
  • Leaders will give three skills development opportunities for C-Suite and chosen individuals via the Leaders platform to selected individuals

INCLUSIVITY AND CULTURE AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

  • Leaders is committed to ensuring the topic of equity, diversity and inclusion and shifting the discussion to enabling transformational business growth
  • In 2025, this will appear on the Main Stage programme of four flagship events, focused on reaching the decision makers with business rationale to continue investing

If there’s one conversation that’s the most divisive conversation in the world, it’s race, it’s inclusion and it’s issues around diversity. You need organisations like Leaders; someone has to take the mantle and lead us.

Troy Vincent

EVP of Football Operations | NFL

Watch the video

The experiences gained have helped us better define the actions we’re already taking, while also developing our understanding of what we can all do to move the industry forward collectively.

Andrea Marini

CEO | Deltatre

The perspectives I’ve been able to gain from being connected to this global community of women in sport are invaluable to me and my work.

Anne Doepner

Director of Inclusion & Employee Investment | Minnesota Vikings

It’s paramount for us to come together to share best practice to hopefully make an improvement within EDI in sport. Leaders allows us to do that.

Donna Fraser

Head of Inclusion & Engagement | Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

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GET INVOLVED

Register your interest in the Be The Lead initiative to benefit from the year round series of commitments that Leaders and our partners are making in 2025.

Drop your details in the form to be kept up to date with all the latest information and opportunities for you to get involved.