Michael Payne was nominated as one of the world´s most influential marketeers by Advertising Age. He has spent the past 45 years at the forefront of the global sports marketing industry. Hired as the IOC´s first marketing director, Michael helped oversea the transformation of the Olympics from bankruptcy to a billion dollar brand. After twenty years, he moved to F1 as Special Advisor to Bernie Ecclestone.
Michael has run his own boutique advisory group for the past two decades, conceiving and brokering some of the industry´s biggest deals. He is highly regarded as one of the most transformative executives within the sports industry. He is regularly sought after by the world´s media from BBC and CNN to the Financial Times, known for his provocative and insightful comments. In 2022 the IOC awarded Michael the prestigious Coubertin Medal for services to the Olympic Movement.