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News

Tue. 10 April 2018

FIFA Master Alumni – Where are they now? Martin Kaswurm

Pictured from left to right at the Snow Volleyball Exhibition at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang

Back Row: Karl Stoss, IOC Member & President of the Austrian Olympic Committee;  Kim Leon-Koung, 2x Asian Games Medalist; Habt Gumel, IOC Member; Gerard Rajzman, IOC Member; Aleksander Boricic, CEV President; HSH Prince Albert II from Monaco, IOC Member; Florian Gosch, Austrian Olympic Committee.

Front Row: Vladimir Gribic, Olympic Champion Volleyball; Giba, Olympic Champion Volleyball; Emanuel, Olympic Champion Beach Volleyball; Xue Chen, Olympic Medalist Beach Volleyball; Martin Kaswurm, Initiator Snow Volleyball; Nik Berger, European Champion Beach Volleyball.

 

Martin Kaswurm

Current Position: Founder & CEO, Chaka2

Year of graduation: 2014 (14th Edition)

Nationality: Austrian

What does your current role involve?

My current position in sport is difficult to define. On one hand, I am the founder and CEO of Chaka2 and that involves overseeing the entire spectrum of projects that we are responsible for. For some clients it is branding and communication, others trust us with their event planning, logistics, and production. On the other hand, I am actively involved in the global development of snow volleyball -whether it is working with the CEV on executing the upcoming World Championship, speaking with international markets on how to kick start snow volleyball, or working alongside FIVB on how to turn this into an Olympic sport.

Another aspect of sport I have become increasingly involved with is speaking to students and young professionals about the sports industry. This helps to keep me closer to the future leaders of the sports industry and their innovative approaches. Also, it is a way for me to give back and to share my experiences from the industry.

Which aspects of the FIFA Master course have helped you most in your career?

During the FIFA Master course, we are exposed to a wealth of disciplines, organizations and industry leaders who shape and contribute to our thinking as we go through the course. Often, I would end up learning as much from the site visits, lectures and guest speakers as I did from my classmates. Looking back now, the FIFA Master has given me, above everything, access to a vibrant network of sports professionals that span across the globe and at all levels of seniority. I have been able to leverage this network for contacts, personal development, insights and more. By fostering relationships with fellow FIFA Master alumni, I have expanded my projects internationally and crossed over into unfamiliar territories. All of these experiences have added to my passion for working in sport and furthering my reach within this field.

What advice would you give to future students on the course?

My advice to future students on the course would be to be prepared, follow-up and read. During the site visits I mentioned earlier, you have access to people that would otherwise be difficult to meet so seize that opportunity! Spend some time preparing for the site visits so you can ask relevant questions. Try to make an impression and follow-up afterwards with a thank you at the end of the visit. It may come in handy down the line. Finally, something that I always try to impart to future students is the importance of reading. I think it’s an important part of your ongoing personal development. Reading widely is something I would recommend to everyone!

The FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport is organized by the CIES in partnership with De Montfort University (Leicester, UK), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Milan, Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel. In 2017 the FIFA Master was ranked as the No.1 course in Europe for the fifth time by the SportBusiness International global rankings. 

Discover more examples of inspiring FIFA Master Alumni career paths by clicking here.

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