LONDON: Leading international sports media company MP & Silva has appointed Seamus O’Brien as president and Group chief executive officer, effective 1st January 2018.
Jochen Lösch, who O’Brien replaces, will remain connected to MP&S at the least for the near term in a consultative capacity.
Discussing his new position, Jochen said: “I am very grateful to the shareholders that they gave me the opportunity to lead such a great company. My special thanks go to Riccardo Silva and the MP & Silva staff, which always supported me 100%. I am glad that I can continue working with MP & Silva as a consultant focusing mainly on ventures in Latin America. There are plenty of opportunities coming up, and MP & Silva is very well positioned to grab them.”
O’Brien has over 30 years’ experience in leading executive positions in the international sports industry across the world. He began his career at CSI (which later became part of Octagon) before establishing World Sport Group, a company well known in the Indian market for the landmark deals it negotiated around media rights of the International Cricket Council and Indian Premier league.
In 2008, O’Brien sold his majority stake in WSG to Lagardère Group, the French media conglomerate. He continued to lead WSG as executive chairman until 2015. He was also appointed in 2014 as deputy chairman of the executive committee of Lagardère’s Sports and Entertainment division.
Commenting on the management overhaul, MP&S chairman Larry Feng said: “First of all, I would like to thank Jochen Lösch for the contribution he made to MP & Silva as CEO. He led the business at a time of profound change and is to be thanked for his professionalism and dedication throughout his tenure as CEO. The appointment of Seamus O’Brien is a tremendous step for MP & Silva. Seamus is a pioneer with a fantastic reputation and is a man who instinctively understands the market we are in and the growth territories of the future. His experience of building strong international profiles for sports properties will be a huge asset to the company, our partners and our customers. This appointment is a fantastic reflection of the ambition we have to ensure MP & Silva remains as one of the world’s leading media rights companies.”
O’Brien noted: “The shareholders and members of the board, including people I have known and respected for many years, are incredibly ambitious with a great vision for the company. By working with the talented team they have built and utilising the extensive global network at our disposal, I am very confident that exciting times are ahead for MP & Silva.”
