Eleven revamps management line-up

Andrea Radrizzani

Sports broadcaster the Eleven Group’s co-founder and executive chairman Marc Watson has returned to the CEO role he held until January last year, while Andrea Radrizzani, the chairman and founder of Eleven’s parent company Aser Ventures, is to assume a more direct leadership role with Eleven as executive chairman.

Watson, who will oversee the strategic direction of the group has for the past 18 months combined his responsibilities as executive chairman with leading Aser Ventures’ new streaming platform LIVENow.

Eleven said that with LIVENow now established, Watson was able to focus his energies on the Eleven Group.

Separately, Alessandro Tucci has joined Eleven as chief operating officer, with a focus on managing and developing the company’s international business. Tucci has held a series of leadership roles within the 21st Century Fox Group across Europe and Africa and joins Eleven from the streaming company MainStreaming, where he was COO.

Anouk Mertens, who has been Eleven’s COO since November 2018, will take on overall leadership for the group’s content strategy as chief content officer. She will be responsible for integrating Eleven’s content capabilities with Team Whistle Studios and NEO Studios to create one global studio services division for the group, and will continue to combine her group role with the position of CEO of NEO Studios.

Eleven Group chief rights acquisitions officer and MD for Belgium and Luxembourg Guillaume Collard will now oversee the company’s expansion into new markets, develop new distribution deals across the network and continue to strengthen the rights portfolio. He is also joining the group’s board.

Since November 2020, Eleven has acquired the streaming platform MyCujoo and the US based sports media and entertainment company Team Whistle, growing the Group to over 300 staff across 11 offices around the world. According to the company, it now plans to focus on consolidating and developing its B2B2C business, building its D2C offering and growing its B2B services division.

Watson said: “Eleven has experienced a period of significant growth in recent times. We have the opportunity to continue rapidly developing our business to deliver for fans and partners in new ways and our strengthened leadership team will provide the balance and focus we need to do that. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Alessandro to the group and to congratulate Guillaume and Anouk on their new roles. Anouk has been a fantastic Group COO for the past three years and I look forward to her bringing the same dedication and expertise to her new position.”