The MotoGP recently announced four executive appointments as it continues to build the team to drive the sport’s next phase of global growth.
Leadership Roles
‘MotoGP’ stated that Ryan Norys will join the MotoGP as the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) from the Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur F.C. (UK) where he currently serves as the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). Sameer Pabari will become the Chief Media Officer (CMO) having previously held senior leadership roles at the National Football League (NFL – the top professional American football league in the world), Warner Bros. Discovery (film production company) and the Premier League team Manchester United F.C. Louise Young will join as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) following more than eight years with the Formula 1 (the highest class of international open-wheel, single-seater auto racing), most recently as the Chief Race Promotion Officer, while Denitza Batchvarova joined earlier this month as the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) bringing two decades of strategic leadership experience across finance and sports entertainment, latterly with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC – an American mixed martial arts promotion company) and the TKO Group Holdings (an American publicly traded sports and entertainment media conglomerate).
Madrid (Spain)-based MotoGP is the premier class of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship which is the oldest motorsport world championship in existence established in 1949 by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM – the global governing body and supreme authority for motorcycle sport and motorcycling activities worldwide).
Strengthened Leadership Team
‘MotoGP’ further stated that these appointments build on Carlos Ezpeleta’s promotion to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Deputy CEO) in August and the arrival of Vince Russell as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in May with Enrique Aldama moving into the role of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Together with head honcho Carmelo Ezpeleta they form a strengthened leadership team for MotoGP.
‘Shaping MotoGP’s Future’
Commented Carlos Ezpeleta, “These appointments are an important step in building the team that will help shape MotoGP’s future. Ryan, Sameer, Louise, and Denitza bring hugely valuable experience from the leading sports and entertainment organizations that will strengthen our commercial, media, operations, and strategy capabilities. Together with our existing team they will help us deepen our connection with our fans, reach the new audiences and create new opportunities for our existing and new commercial partners thus building on the strong foundations of the sport.”
Global Commercial Function
As the Chief Commercial Officer Norys will lead MotoGP’s global commercial function across partnerships, sponsorship, licensing, hospitality, marketing, and digital. He joins from Tottenham Hotspur where he has led the club’s commercial business since 2022, most recently as the Chief Revenue Officer. He previously held senior commercial roles at the Serie A team AS Roma (Italy), the Manchester City F.C. (UK) and the NFL team Miami Dolphins (US).
Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Service
Pabari will become the Chief Media Officer following his current advisory role with the MotoGP. He brings 20 years of experience across sports, media and technology including leadership roles at the NFL, Warner Bros. Discovery and Manchester United. His expertise lies in creating content and digital media products that build and engage the global fandom. As the Chief Media Officer he will oversee the live broadcast production, the long-form content, the media distribution partnerships, and the commercial growth of MotoGP’s direct-to-consumer streaming service.
MotoGP Continued Expansion
As the Chief Operating Officer Young will direct MotoGP’s race promotion business as well as its events, operations and the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) functions. She will join MotoGP from Formula 1 where she held a series of senior legal roles before being appointed to lead the race promotion business in July 2023 and subsequently becoming the Chief Race Promotion Officer in early 2025. Her experience working with the promoters, the circuits and the Government stakeholders, gained during one of the most successful periods of growth in global sport, will support the MotoGP’s continued expansion and help ensure the delivery of world-class events around the globe.
MotoGP Next Phase of Development
Batchvarova joined MotoGP in September as the Chief Strategy Officer and will lead the development and execution of MotoGP’s global growth strategy. She has 20 years of experience across sport, entertainment and finance. Most recently, she served as the Executive Vice-President (EVP), Strategy and Corporate Finance at the TKO Group Holdings following the combination of UFC and the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE – the world’s largest professional wrestling and sports entertainment promotion) building on her previous role leading strategy at the UFC. Her experience shaping the long-term strategic direction, driving business transformation and aligning execution with sustainable growth objectives will help shape MotoGP’s next phase of development.
MotoGP Long-term Ambitions
The MotoGP has also made senior additions to its people and operation teams to further develop the business. These hires strengthen its ability to support the employees, the race promoters and the event stakeholders thus reflecting continued investment in the capabilities needed to deliver MotoGP’s long-term ambitions.
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