FIFA Master Alumni - Where are they now? - Eden Ghebresellassie
Eden Ghebresellassie
Current Position: Head of Events & Content Strategy at Optimum Sports
Year of Graduation: 2009 (9th Edition)
Nationality: Eritrean, Italian, USA
What does your current role involve?
Since graduating from the FIFA Master in 2009, my career has been guided by a deep belief in sport’s ability to unite people, inspire communities and drive meaningful and scalable business outcomes. Over the past two decades, I have held leadership roles across global sports marketing, sponsorship and experiential strategy, partnering with organizations such as the IOC, FIFA, the NBA and WNBA, as well as global brands in the pharmaceutical, tech and consumer sectors. My work has taken me around the world, developing programmes that connect athletes, brands and fans across major events such as the Olympic Games, Global X Games, World Cup and Super Bowl, to name just a few examples.
Today, I lead the Events and Experiential Strategy Division at a global sports marketing agency in New York City, where I oversee a multidisciplinary team across events, hospitality, content and data strategy. The scope of this department is to transform experiential marketing into a consistent revenue and growth driver, building the structure, systems and creative processes that now power flagship programmes for clients such as Eli Lilly & Co., including their Olympic employee engagement platform and other sports and entertainment properties. My focus is on creating experiences that deliver measurable business impact while celebrating the cultural and human side of sport on a global stage.
Which aspects of the FIFA Master course have helped you most in your career?
The quality of people that you get to interact with is an incredible web of connections and inspiration which continues to shape my professional journey to this day. Coming from an Eritrean / Italian background, the FIFA Master exposed me to a community of classmates and lecturers whose experiences and ambitions broadened the way I see sport and its impact on society. What continues to impress me is how strong, helpful and efficient this network remains. Sixteen years later it still functions as a living ecosystem of support, collaboration and opportunity. The course not only deepened my understanding of the global sports landscape but also strengthened my ability to connect with people from every walk of life; something that has been essential in building partnerships, leading international teams and creating meaningful experiences that bridge cultures through sport.
What advice would you give to future students?
Show up as your full self, lead with curiosity, and make intentional choices, because every decision you make today shapes the opportunities you will have tomorrow. The FIFA Master is not only an academic journey but a professional accelerator, and the way you engage with people, ideas and challenges will define your path long after graduation. Approach every class project and interaction with openness and accountability; the relationships you build and the mindset you cultivate here are the same tools which will sustain you in the complex and ever-evolving world of global sport business.
FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked Europe's No.1 course a record 13 times by SportBusiness.
Organised by CIES in cooperation with De Montfort University (UK), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).
"CIES, 30 years of impacting how sport is managed worldwide" & "FIFA Master, 25 years of Excellence in Sport Business Education"
