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 The Brazilian-American Andres Cardenas (born in Oklahoma City, USA, and raised in Campinas, Brazil) is yet another FIFA Master alumnus with an outstanding career in the sports industry. Andres took part in the 4th edition of the renowned postgrad course and graduated in mid-2004. He then began his sports career in the Olympic Movement, working for the IOC, then the Rio 2007 Pan American Games, and finally the Rio 2016 Olympic Bid - “a project that I hold very close to my heart”, he says. “Being part of the movement that brought the Olympic Games to Brazil and South America for the very first time is something truly special and which I’m very proud of”.

Andres always wanted to work in the birthplace of sports marketing/business, so after Rio was awarded the Games, he moved to the USA to join Octagon as a Group Director for their sports marketing consulting division. After six years of helping brands develop sponsorship and activation strategies, he chose to shift gears and recently moved to Perform, the global digital sports content and media group. “I feel that digital sports marketing is the future, and I want to be part of it”, he explains. When asked what is it that he enjoys the most about his job, Andres doesn’t hesitate: “Working at Perform provides me the opportunity to be influential and disruptive within the industry. Having the ability to be a transformational force in how sport is consumed is what drives me”.

One of the things Andres fondly remembers of the master are the heated discussions they would have in or outside the classroom around different sports topics - from relevance of soccer in the US to who was a better player, Totti or Zamorano. “There was always so much passion and energy about what we were studying. I’m not sure you can find that kind of energy and emotion coming from students in a Finance or Economy Master”. In this interview, Andres Cardenas tell us more about his role at a leading sports digital company, his predictions for the industry in 2016 and the importance of the FIFA Master in his career.

FMA Quarterly: In April 2015 you became Executive VP for Sports Media in Latin America for Perform. Could you tell us what are your main roles?

Andres Cardenas: Perform is one of the leading global digital sports content and media companies. Its mission is to connect the world of sport by producing the quickest, most detailed and most engaging content, and managing a network of media brands with global scale, including Goal.com, the largest global football site. As the head of the Latin American Media division, my job is to expand and grow our business in the region by providing brands who are associated with football the opportunity to develop customized, integrated content-driven campaigns that create deeper connections with millions of digital sports fans throughout the region and the world.

FMAQ: What will be the major challenges for sport in 2016?

AC: I think 2016 will be a crucial year for football. With FIFA presidential elections coming up and uncertainty on who will govern football in the Americas, there is an excellent opportunity for much needed change. It’s time for new, young, forward-thinking leaders to rise through the ranks and take charge of football governance.

FMAQ: How important was the FIFA Master in your career?

AC: It was vital. I entered the Master with no prior sports experience and a non-existent network within the industry. I graduated with an in-depth understanding of sports business, a new perspective on sports and, most importantly, a strong network that helped me land my first job in the field, right after the Master.  The network of alumni that continues to grow, gain strength and become more and more influential in sports is truly invaluable.   

 FMAQ: You have a successful career and you also hire people from the industry to work with you. What are the main traits you look for in a candidate?

AC: This is actually a question I get a lot and there are various different schools of thought around this.  Some people have talent recruiting down to a science. I’m not one of them. Relevant experience and specific skill are very important, of course. But I rather focus on two main things: talent and grit. Someone with talent can always be developed and coached. Someone with grit will love what they do and do it with heart.

FMAQ: For you, how important is the alumni association?

AC: It’s a necessity. The alumni association provides us with a sense of belonging and accountability after the Master. The relationships we make, the social equity we build, and brand we acquire become even stronger after graduation, thanks to the alumni association. And most importantly, we play a key role in the development, growth, and actual prestige of the FIFA Master.

FMAQ: Where (how) do you think the FMA should improve?

AC: I think Kevin nailed it in an article he wrote in September’s issue of the FMA Quarterly. He pointed out how the FMA needs to increase its impact in the sport industry exponentially. And I agree. The question is how. We have alumni in influential positions throughout the industry. We need to find a way to put that influence to work as a whole.

SHORT PROFILE

Andres Cardenas, Brazilian and American

Executive VP for Sports Media, LatAm at Perform Group  

Birthday: August 21, 1978

Married with: Priscila Cardenas

Favourite sport: Football

Favourite team: São Paulo Futebol Clube

Favourite sport’s personality: Muhammad Ali

Favourite sport’s moment: The first Brazil national team match I watched on the stadium - Brazil beat Bulgaria (2-1) in 1990 at my home town of Campinas.