The head of the Sports Rights Directorate at Italian public broadcaster RAI has died suddenly in Rome.
In a statement, RAI’s President Marinella Soldi and CEO Roberto Sergio said: “The loss of Pier Francesco Forleo leaves us dismayed. An impeccable professional, with a solid and varied professional experience, he had been a point of reference in the crucial sports rights sector of our company for years. We will miss not only his great ability to analyse and direct complex financial and management aspects, but also his human touch. We offer our thoughts and condolences to his family.”
61-year-old Forleo joined RAI in 1997 and worked across administration, finance, radio and public procurement.
From 2015 Forleo served as a member of the EBU’s Sports Rights Committee and the Sports Right Assembly. The EBU’s Director of Sport Glen Killane described Forleo as a wonderful friend, colleague and advocate for sport. “His contribution to the successes of public service media in the area of sports broadcasting rights cannot be overstated. He worked with us tirelessly to ensure that live sports reached the broadest possible audience via free-to-air channels.”
He was the son-in-law of actress and TV presenter Mara Venier, who said in an Instagram post “Everything too Fast”.
