FIFA Master Alumni - Where are they now? - Stuart Winship
Stuart Winship
Current Position: Head of Marketing – Digital & Content at European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR)
Year of graduation: 2018 (18th Edition)
Nationality: British / South African
What does your current role involve?
I lead EPCR’s Marketing & Digital division, overseeing the strategy and delivery of our digital, content and social activity. This includes managing a team of 15 across internal teams and agencies, with responsibility for our website and app, social channels and content production, from match coverage and highlights to editorial and behind-the-scenes content.
A key part of the role is using our digital channels to grow and engage our audience, while also supporting commercial objectives such as ticket sales, viewership and partner activity, particularly around our major events including the EPCR Finals.
Data plays an important role in how we work, with fan behaviour, campaign performance and channel trends informing our content and marketing decisions. I also work closely with commercial and partnership teams to develop digital activations and make sure our sponsors are effectively integrated across our channels.
How has the FIFA Master helped you in your career?
The FIFA Master has been very useful throughout my career, both in terms of the knowledge it gave me and the network I built through the course and its alumni.
One of the biggest benefits was the international nature of the programme. Studying and working alongside people from different countries, cultures and professional backgrounds gave me a much broader perspective on the sports industry and taught me to approach problems from different points of view.
That has been particularly relevant in my current role at EPCR, where we work across multiple markets and with a wide range of stakeholders, clubs, partners and agencies. The ability to understand different perspectives, adapt to different markets and bring people together around a common objective is something I use regularly.
The FIFA Master also gave me a strong understanding of the wider sports business, which has helped me move between commercial, marketing, digital and content roles during my career. The combination of that foundation and the network around the course has been a valuable part of my career development.
What advice would you give to future students?
My main advice would be to make the most of the people around you. The course itself is obviously important, but you learn just as much from your classmates, who come from very different countries, backgrounds and areas of the sports industry. Be open to different perspectives and make the effort to build relationships, as those connections can stay with you well beyond the year itself.
I’d also try not to focus too much on what your next job is going to be. It’s natural to think about it, but the FIFA Master gives you a broader understanding of the sports industry and exposes you to opportunities you may not have considered before. Take the time to explore different areas, ask questions and see where your interests develop.
Finally, enjoy it. It’s a unique year, and you’ll probably get more from it if you make the most of the experience rather than treating it purely as the next step in your career.
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FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked Europe's No.1 course a record 14 times by SportBusiness and No.2 in the world.
Organised by CIES in cooperation with De Montfort University (UK), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).
