Wimena Sport

Wimena Sport Highlighting and sharing stories of women, working and participating in all aspects of sport.

And finally, a very special award. 🏆Congratulations to Lisa O’Keefe MBE, recipient of the inaugural WiMENA Game Changer ...
18/09/2026

And finally, a very special award. 🏆
Congratulations to Lisa O’Keefe MBE, recipient of the inaugural WiMENA Game Changer Award 2026.

What makes this award particularly special is that Lisa was chosen by the WiMENA network itself.

As Secretary General of the International Working Group on Women and Sport, Lisa has dedicated her career to understanding the barriers facing women and girls and using research, insight and collaboration to create meaningful change.
Her career has included leading the insight behind Sport England’s globally recognised This Girl Can campaign, alongside her work as a former international sportswoman.

And there was something rather fitting about Lisa’s day at Westminster. She began the afternoon moderating our very first panel, Grassroots to Greatness, and ended the evening receiving the recognition of the WiMENA community.
A true full circle moment.

Congratulations, Lisa, and thank you to everyone in the WiMENA network who voted.

Congratulations to Rawan AlButairi, recipient of the WiMENA Technology & Creative Industry Award 2026. 🏆Technology is tr...
18/09/2026

Congratulations to Rawan AlButairi, recipient of the WiMENA Technology & Creative Industry Award 2026. 🏆

Technology is transforming almost every part of sport, from how it is played and experienced to how fans connect with it around the world.

As CEO of the Saudi Esports Federation, Rawan is right at the heart of that transformation, leading its strategic direction and international partnerships as Saudi Arabia develops its position within global esports.

Rawan also joined us during the day for our Future of Sport panel, exploring how AI, technology and the creator economy are changing fan experience and commercial opportunities.

A brilliant example of the new careers and leadership opportunities emerging across sport.

Congratulations, Rawan.

Congratulations to Sophie Able of The Jockey Club, recipient of the WiMENA New Business of Sport Award 2026. 🏆The busine...
18/09/2026

Congratulations to Sophie Able of The Jockey Club, recipient of the WiMENA New Business of Sport Award 2026. 🏆

The business of sport is changing rapidly, creating new opportunities across partnerships, media, entertainment, technology, investment and events.

As Newmarket Racecourses & International Director at The Jockey Club, Sophie has built relationships across the Middle East, Asia, Europe and beyond, connecting racing jurisdictions and strengthening Newmarket’s international profile.

Sophie and The Jockey Club have also been fantastic supporters of WiMENA and share our commitment to creating more opportunities for women to build careers and lead across the sports industry.

Congratulations, Sophie.

Congratulations to Sharifa AlSudairi, our WiMENA Inspirational Sports Woman Award 2026 recipient. 🏆As Saudi Arabia’s fir...
17/09/2026

Congratulations to Sharifa AlSudairi, our WiMENA Inspirational Sports Woman Award 2026 recipient. 🏆

As Saudi Arabia’s first female professional skier, Sharifa is breaking new ground and creating visibility for the women and girls who will follow.
She has competed internationally across three FIS seasons and played a pivotal role in Saudi Arabia’s debut at the Asian Winter Games, all while balancing elite sport with being a mother of two.

Representation matters. Seeing someone do something for the first time can completely change what the next generation believes is possible.
Congratulations, Sharifa. 💜

Congratulations to Katy Storie, recipient of the WiMENA Grassroots Award 2026. 🏆Katy has spent more than 24 years workin...
17/09/2026

Congratulations to Katy Storie, recipient of the WiMENA Grassroots Award 2026. 🏆

Katy has spent more than 24 years working across sport, physical activity and equality, creating opportunities for people to participate, develop and lead.

Across the Middle East, her work has helped build female sports leadership collaborations, while the Future Female Leaders in Sport Programme has reached more than 1,100 women across Saudi Arabia.

The Grassroots Award celebrates the people creating opportunity at the very beginning of the sporting journey and turning participation into something much bigger.

Congratulations, Katy.

What a day for WiMENA. 💜On 14 September, we brought the WiMENA community together at the Houses of Parliament for an inc...
16/09/2026

What a day for WiMENA. 💜

On 14 September, we brought the WiMENA community together at the Houses of Parliament for an incredible afternoon and evening celebrating Women Leading the Future of Sport.

From grassroots participation and the importance of visible role models, to the changing business of sport and the impact of AI, technology and the creator economy, the conversations throughout the day showed just how much opportunity there is to shape the future of our industry.

A huge thank you to our brilliant speakers who shared their experience, challenged thinking and made the conversations so valuable.

➡Grassroots to Greatness
Lisa O’Keefe MBE, Ali AlDajani, Burcu Cetinkaya, Ella Lloyd and Jo Maher.

➡Her Story. Our Future
Karen Webb Moss, Ameera Marghalani, Dania Akeel and Freya Anderson MBE.

➡The New Business of Sport
Kate Beavan, Heba Bevan OBE, Chris Long and Maria Laura Scuri.

➡The Future of Sport
George Vaughan, Alexandra Willis, Rawan AlButairi, Jacqueline Bourke and Daniel Bailey.

And thank you to Nusrat Ghani MP, Chairman of Ways and Means and Madam Deputy Speaker, for hosting us at the Palace of Westminster, alongside everyone who joined us and contributed to such a special day.

Our thanks also to Al Jaber & Partners, Cleveland Clinic London and UtterBerry for helping make the event possible.

The conversations matter, but what happens next matters even more. New connections, new partnerships, new opportunities and more doors opened for women across sport.

This is exactly what WiMENA is here to do.

Our final panel at WiMENA 2026 looks firmly ahead.The Future of Sport: How AI, technology and the creator economy are tr...
11/09/2026

Our final panel at WiMENA 2026 looks firmly ahead.

The Future of Sport: How AI, technology and the creator economy are transforming the fan experience and commercial opportunities brings together leaders working at the intersection of sport, technology, digital media, content and entertainment.

Moderated by George Vaughan, Director of Tech at YTL Live and Aviva Arena, the panel features Alexandra Willis, Chief Digital Officer at The Football Association, Rawan AlButairi, CEO of the Saudi Esports Federation, Jacqueline Bourke, Senior Director, Creative at Getty Images, and Daniel Bailey, CEO of Veloce Media Group.

AI, esports, content, creators, digital communities and rapidly changing fan expectations are already reshaping the industry. This session will explore what comes next and where the biggest opportunities may lie.

A brilliant conversation to close our afternoon of Women Leading the Future of Sport.

Sport is changing, and so is the business behind it.Our third WiMENA 2026 panel, The New Business of Sport: Where innova...
11/09/2026

Sport is changing, and so is the business behind it.

Our third WiMENA 2026 panel, The New Business of Sport: Where innovation, investment and new careers are redefining the industry, looks beyond the field of play at the enormous industry developing around global sport.

Moderated by Kate Beavan, Founder of KB2 Consulting and Adviser to More Than Equal, the panel brings together Heba Bevan, OBE, CEO and Founder of UtterBerry LTD, Chris Long, Commercial Partnerships at Sela | صلة, and Maria Laura Scuri, VP of Product Community, Digital Platforms at ESL FACEIT Group - EFG.

From investment and commercial partnerships to technology, digital platforms and entirely new career opportunities, we’ll explore where the business of sport is heading and the opportunities being created along the way.

Some of the most powerful stories in sport come from the people who have challenged expectations, broken new ground and ...
11/09/2026

Some of the most powerful stories in sport come from the people who have challenged expectations, broken new ground and helped create opportunities for those coming next.

Her Story. Our Future: The leaders changing sport today and inspiring tomorrow brings together four brilliant voices from across swimming, rugby and motorsport.

Moderated by Karen Webb Moss, Chair of Aquatics GB and Strategic Adviser and Chair at More Than Equal, the panel features professional swimmer Freya Anderson MBE, Saudi Arabian Rugby Federation Women’s Team captain Ameera Marghalani, and motorsport professional Dania Akeel of Jameel Motorsport.

We’ll hear about their experiences, the progress they have witnessed within their sports and, importantly, what still needs to change to ensure the next generation has even greater opportunities.

Where does the next generation of sporting talent begin?At WiMENA 2026, our opening panel, Grassroots to Greatness: Buil...
11/09/2026

Where does the next generation of sporting talent begin?

At WiMENA 2026, our opening panel, Grassroots to Greatness: Building participation for the next generation, will explore one of the most important challenges facing sport: how we create the opportunities, pathways and environments that encourage more people to take part and stay involved.

Moderated by Lisa O’Keefe MBE, Secretary General of the IWG UK Secretariat, the conversation brings together Ali AlDajani, President of the Saudi Arabian Rugby Federation, Burcu Cetinkaya, Chair of FIA Women in Motorsport, and Jo Maher, CEO and Founder of Jo Maher Strategic Advisory.

From grassroots access and participation to creating genuine pathways into elite sport, this promises to be a fascinating conversation about how we build the foundations for the future.

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