Mumbai: Global fan engagement platform Stepathlon has appointed Alison Lee and Rowena Samarasinhe to its advisory board.
ATP Tour executive vice president of interaction region Alison Lee and GenSport managing director Rowena Samarasinhe, who is also a partner at sports, media, and entertainment law firm LEVEL, will join Stepathlon’s advisory board, which will comprise diverse and prominent thought leaders from sports, media, entertainment, technology and wellness.
On the appointment, Stepathlon founder and chairman Ravi Krishnan said, “Our mission is to create a healthier, happier planet by leveraging popular culture to deliver value for all stakeholders. The point of view of women is critical to building a platform that serves the entire global community. Our incredible investor group is made up principally of middle-aged men – all very accomplished and supportive. We have only two female investors. I hope to change that in the next round. Having said that, I intend to ensure that our advisory board has diverse representation, and the appointment of Lee and Samarasinhe is just the beginning. We are thrilled to have such accomplished and enthusiastic women join the Stepathlon movement.”
Krishnan added, “I’ve known Lee for over 25 years and have seen her rise through the ranks on the ATP Tour. She has a sterling reputation both as a professional and as a person. Samarasinhe has immediately become a valued and trusted sounding board. She has a very broad and deep perspective on women and women’s sport and is both open-minded and single-minded—a compelling combination.”
On the appointment, Lee enthused, “I’ve known Krishnan for many years and have witnessed how driven the Stepathlon mission is to deliver continuous fan engagement, actionable first-party data, and create a healthier planet. I’m honoured to be invited to support him and his growing team, as well as enthusiastic to share my learnings across the sports industry to help ensure that fans receive much deeper value from their unwavering loyalty.”
Samarasinhe added, “I’m delighted to be helping Krishnan and his passionate Stepathlon team at this exciting time for the industry and the business. I know from experience that rights holders are constantly looking at innovative ways to build fan loyalty, and Stepathlon’s digital and data capabilities will enable us to offer something special and, importantly, target diverse audiences at the same time. So many of my own values are reflected in Stepathlon, and to be part of a project to make the world a healthier place is really very exciting.”
