Viaplay Group has appointed Cecilia Gave as EVP and head of sports, effective immediately.
In her new role, she will oversee the strategic development and coordinate the management of Viaplay’s sports operations across all relevant markets. Gave joins the group executive management team and is based in Stockholm.
Gave joined Viaplay Group in 2016 and has held various leadership roles, most recently VP sport production. She has also been VP and head of Sports Norway and SVP and group head of Viafree, as well as head of operations for MTG Sport Sweden. Before joining Viaplay Group, she held managerial positions at Boxer TV, Titan Television and Schibsted.
Commenting on the appointment, Anders Jensen, Viaplay Group president and CEO: “I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Cecilia as our new head of sports. Cecilia brings a perfect mix of relevant experience and fresh new perspectives, vital to a fast-evolving media industry. While we always strive to be the best at delivering sports experiences today, we must also stay ahead of the curve when it comes to developing our products to cater for new needs, new viewing behaviour and commercial opportunities tomorrow. Viaplay has a unique market position with a portfolio of top-class sports rights, combined with great live coverage and studios, now it is time to further leverage on these rights, drive growth and maximise their full potential in our markets. Cecilia’s extensive experience and leadership qualities make her the ideal choice to lead our sports department into the exciting future”.
Gaveadded: “I am both humbled and honoured to take on the responsibility of leading Viaplay Group’s sports operations into the next phases of our journey. Over the years, our company has become synonymous with premium sports entertainment and I am excited to work even closer with our talented teams to continue strengthening our position and to elevate the viewing experience for sports enthusiasts and beyond even further”.
The sports rights portfolio is continuously overseen by Anders Jensen and managed by Rune Knudsen, SVP and head of sports continental Europe & Baltics, and Edward Breeze, SVP and head of sports UK.
