Infront Sports & Media announced the promotion of Infront China’s CEO and Managing Director, Ma Guoli, to Chairman of the Infront China Board of Directors. He will step up from his operational position to the new role as of 1 January 2014.
Philippe Blatter, Infront’s President & CEO, said: “Under Ma Guoli’s tenure Infront China has become an important growth engine for our Group. He has fostered considerable development and increasing commercial appeal of Infront’s properties, including key events such as the annual CBA All-Star Game and the CBA League Finals. We very much welcome that he continues to contribute his outstanding experience, leadership skills and reputation at Board level. This ensures continuity of experience and maintains Infront’s excellent relationships with our key partners and stakeholders across Asia.”
Ma Guoli added: “Following an important and successful phase of development and further expansion of Infront China since 2009 and after more than 25 fulfilling years in operational business, I am now greatly looking forward and proud to take on my new role as Chairman of the Infront China Board, focusing on the company’s long-term strategic development and the further enhancement of its network in the region. I am convinced that Infront with its strong international team will remain the leading force in Chinese sports business.”
A key role in Infront China’s success
In the past five years, Ma Guoli has played a key role in Infront China’s success. Under his leadership Infront’s role as the most prominent and respected international sports marketing company in the country has been further strengthened. Infront has successfully extended its commercial partnership with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) to represent the country’s top sport basketball both at National Team and League level until 2018 and 2017 respectively.
As part of its comprehensive role, Infront has created tremendous momentum for Chinese basketball, resulting in record levels of sponsorship and media coverage. Just recently the company secured the Li Ning sport apparel brand as the CBA League’s Official Partner – by far the biggest sponsorship commitment ever for a Chinese sports property and one of the largest in today’s world of sports. Through its “Gateway China” service, Infront has successfully encouraged several international companies and sports to access the Chinese market. The transfer of the European concept “Art on Ice” to China was one the most recent example for the success of this initiative.
One of the most influential figures in Chinese sport
Ma Guoli is one of the most influential figures in Chinese sport. He is known not just in the country but throughout the sports world for his role as founder of CCTV-5, the first sports TV channel in China. With more than 25 years of experience in the sports industry, he has been responsible for China’s television broadcast of the 1990 and 1994 Asian Games and has worked on six Summer Games and four Winter Games in total before becoming the Chief Operating Officer of BOB. In 2000 he has been named as one of the top 50 “Most Influential People in Sport” in a survey by the Guardian newspaper in the UK.
Infront’s search for an ideal successor has been already initiated. Ma Guoli will assume the position as Chairman of the Infront China Board from Philippe Blatter who will continue to serve as a Board Member.