Personal Best: Tom Sears
Managing Director of Kinsey Sears,
Chair of the Professional Body of Sports Leadership
Best pitch presenter you’ve ever seen:
If interviews count as pitches Vicky Gosling is very impressive
Best sports marketing campaign (that wasn’t yours):
The half badge campaign in Colombian football, brilliant.
Best agency (that isn’t yours):
I really enjoy working with Whitestone International, great people and great outcomes.
Best young industry talent:
Hard to single out one or two, the sports industry is attracting some great young talent now more than ever – Zarah Al Kudcy, Liseli Sitali (below) and Upneet Thandi are excellent
Best sporting event attended:
MILO Cup Cricket Finals in New Zealand – my sons won the national championship with one named player of the tournament, doesn’t get any better than that
Best sporting event on TV:
Cricket World Cup Final 2019, Rugby World Cup Final 2003
Best industry event or conference:
Leaders is the benchmark, Unofficial Partner drinks/Christmas party is the must have invitation though
Best film containing a scene depicting the sports business:
Slap Shot – a classic
Best book recommendation:
Freakonomics – well worth a read
Best bar or pub:
Our local, The Bridge in Topsham (only pub the Queen has been in apparently), the Boater in Bath for days at the Rec
Best restaurant:
The River Exe Café is a great experience and well worth the trip .
Best holiday resort:
St Andrews for the golf, Alcaufar in Menorca for a nice break, New Zealand - great country, great people
Best box set:
Ozark and After Life
Best influence on your career:
Getting made redundant from my first job at the RFU, terrifying as I had a young family to support and crushing to my confidence but taught me that setbacks don’t define you if you work hard enough and keep at it.
If I had to name an individual Chris Brindley is my go to guru – just a great bloke who gives brilliant advice.
Best dinner companions (min 4, max 6):
I’ll keep it sport related and go for three I’ve met and three I haven’t - Tracey Crouch (very impressive and very funny), Jason Leonard (not called the Fun Bus for no reason), Katherine Grainger (see Tracey Crouch), Frank Warren (he must have some great stories to tell), Eddie Jones (another interesting character), Andrew Cotter (plus Olive and Mabel).
Best job in the sports biz:
Top 50 golfer – what a life!
Best professional regret:
Not investing more time developing myself early enough.
Best skill you most covet:
Colin Morikawa’s iron play
Best trait you admire in others:
Authenticity
Best overrated virtue:
Putting in the hours – quality over quantity for me every time, if people are working stupid hours something is wrong and it needs addressing for everyone’s benefit
Best ambition:
Professionally, for Kinsey Sears to keep doing things the way they should be done and not how they have been done. The fundamental reason we started and what sets us apart.
Otherwise, to find a rum better than Ron Zacapa 23 – suggestions gratefully received.