Jo Robinson

Senior Account Director

Best pitch presenter you’ve ever seen  

Carsten Thode. Endless energy and charisma to sell ideas

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Best sports marketing campaign (that wasn’t yours) 

This Girl Can. Inspirational campaign based on a true insight that challenged other sports brands to think differently about how they market to women

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Best agency (that isn’t yours)

MATTA. Full of creative talent who challenge the way Rights Holders market themselves and create brilliant campaigns for the likes of ECB, World Rugby and the FA. 

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Best young industry talent 

James Masters. An understated but brilliant creative strategist 

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Best sporting event attended

The 2017 British & Irish Lions Tour to New Zealand. Rugby in New Zealand, it doesn’t get better than that.

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Best sporting event on TV

2019 Cricket World Cup final. It turned me into a cricket fanatic in an afternoon.

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Best brand ambassador 

Marcus Rashford. Not necessarily a brand ambassador but an individual with the power to influence and enforce change

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Best Industry Event or Conference

I worked on the event operations for the Leaders in Sport event in 2012 and was lucky enough to hear Dr Steve Peters speak about The Chimp Paradox. His thoughts on optimising the performance of the human mind has always stuck with me 

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Best film containing a scene depicting the sports 

Any Given Sunday. Al Pacino’s inspirational ‘inches’ speech gives me goose bumps every time I watch it. It perfectly captures the raw emotion of sport

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Best book recommendation

Legacy by James Kerr. If you have any interest in leadership, read this book. Hugely thought-provoking in terms of lessons for leadership, as well as an incredible insight into the All Blacks

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Best restaurant

Anywhere overlooking water is magical for me – even fish & chips on the beach

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Best holiday resort

Anywhere on the Cornish coast – nothing beats the English seaside in the sunshine

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Best box set

The Crown (I’m a massive fan of the Queen) or a recent gem was The Salisbury Poisonings 

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Best influence on your career

I have two if that’s allowed - Caroline Whaley (below) and Anna Barez-Brown. They challenged and inspired me to think big through their Shine for Women workshop that I attended.

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Best dinner companions (min 4, max 6)

David Attenborough, Joanna Lumley, Duchess of Cambridge, Serena Williams, Jacinda Ardern and Jack Whitehall – a mix of people who inspire me in areas I’m passionate about, as well as someone to make us laugh

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Best job in the sports biz 

Head of Partnership Management, IOC. Global brands, global stage. It’s the peak of the industry

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Best professional regret

Not living abroad to experience the wider world of sports marketing. Although, there’s always time…

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Best skill you most covet

Belief in oneself. It underpins so many other traits. 

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Best trait you admire in others

Being able to sell anything. Some people can sell ice to Eskimos 

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Best overrated virtue

Leadership - the ability to get the best out of people. It’s a skill and not something everyone has

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Best ambition 

To never stand still. Keep learning, keep challenging and keep moving forward

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