SKI Partners Launches Global Advisory Firm at Middle East Sports Investment Forum

Former Comcast Spectacor Exec & Industry Veteran Chris Lencheski & Corporate M&A attorney Stuart Goldfarb lead a team of seasoned advisors in sport, media, commercial rights, and entertainment in launching a captive-capital/commercial rights “operator-first” hybrid model to global sports marketplace

Phoenicia Sport and Entertainment (“Phoenicia”) chairman and founder Chris Lencheski, and US-based attorney Stuart Goldfarb, announced today at the Middle East Sports Investment Forum 2024 (MESIF2024.com) at Emirates Stadium, the launch of SKI Partners (https://SKIpartners.IO) – a new global advisory firm focusing on “operator-first” private equity-owned companies using sports, entertainment, media, and real estate as levers for global business development in both mature and emerging markets. SKI Partners’ anticipated growth into additional geographic areas was not disclosed but is expected across new MENA markets and the African continent. SKI Partners’ captive capital strategy will be released in the coming weeks, based on the advice and guidance of its advisory board (the “Advisory Board”), several members of which are shared in this initial release.

Chris Lencheski, co-founder, SKI Partners, commented “Over the last decade-plus, I’ve had the good fortune to build, scale, and exit an agency-of-record for one of the largest automotive manufacturers using sport, then move onto Comcast Spectacor as well as two prominent private equity companies, all of whom needed an ’operator-first’ ethos to succeed. With the recent development of the 'soft-power' of global sports as an influence sector, we, our team and board, have a strong track record of providing a diverse set of investors/owners with comprehensive commercial rights strategies, value-accretive platforms, and contractually obligated income capital solutions across multiple sporting structures. I am excited to announce and promote the SKI Partners model and the demand we have received from new clients, prospective corporate partners, and government entities to sport, only validating our decision to launch our commercial rights equity-style captive-capital dual platform where our senior level experience 'operator-first' model gives us an institutional advantage for our clients across governments, private equity firms, and 'point-of-hatch' brands.”

Stuart Goldfarb, co-founder added, “Having spent more than 20 years as a trusted advisor, dealmaker, and attorney, advising and partnering with clients across the sports, media, and entertainment verticals, I believe that SKI Partners represents an extremely compelling and rare opportunity to leverage the talents of a deeply experienced management team supported by a world-class Advisory Board to access and capitalize on proprietary opportunities in these spaces and bring an unparalleled advantage to fuel growth and enhance value."

SKI Partners’ management team is guided and advised by its Advisory Board, a world-class gathering of experienced executives, investors, and entrepreneurs from the sports, media, real estate, investment management, and entertainment industries. SKI Partners’ Advisory Board members represent a diverse and distinguished set of perspectives providing enhanced operational capabilities, deep intellectual resources, and substantial value to both the captive capital/investment and commercial rights elements of the SKI Partners model. While the entire SKI Partners Advisory Board membership will be disclosed in the near future, included in this release are the following:

• SKI Advisory Board Chairman:
  • David Falk: founder and CEO, Falk Associates Management Enterprises (“FAME”); Represented Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, Elton Brand, Boomer Esiason, and James Lofton; Among the Sporting News’s “100 Most Powerful People in Sports” for 12 straight years; Benefactor of the David B Falk College of Sport at Syracuse University; Adjunct Professor, The George Washington University Law School; Author, The Bald Truth.
• SKI Advisory Board Members (3 of 11):
  • Dr. Harvey Schiller, former CEO, US Olympic Committee; former president, Turner Sports; chairman of YES Network, and commercial commissioner for SailGP.
  • Sulaiman Alquhidan, former CFO at MASIC an investment company with an extensive portfolio of real estate, direct investments, and asset management; Member of the Board of Directors and chairman of the Audit Committee of multiple entities and chairman of the Audit Committee of Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club; Current principal at Sq CPAs & Advisors. Sulaiman has two professional qualifications, CPA & SOCPA and his MBA degree.
  • Abdullatif Mohamed Kanoo, based in Abu Dhabi, Mr. Abdullatif Kanoo belongs to one of the GCC’s most prominent and oldest business families. Mr. Kanoo currently works at The Kanoo Group, a UAE-based company established in 1890 with interests in the shipping, travel, logistics, commercial, and energy sectors. Abdullatif earned his Bachelor of Science in sports management and his Master of Business Administration in sports administration management from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. After completing his university studies, Abdullatif then worked for 10 years within the sports and entertainment industry, including with City Football Group in both New York and the United Kingdom. Abdullatif later joined Kanoo Group as the fifth generation to join the family business. Abdullatif is extremely active in Abu Dhabi’s thriving culture and arts sector as well as the UAE’s sports and entertainment sector.

David Falk, chairman of SKI Partners’ Advisory Board, “I am pleased to announce my appointment as chairman of SKI’s Advisory Board. I am excited to bring my years of experience and strategic vision to a group of executives renowned for its pioneering success in sports entertainment, particularly in emerging markets, and its robust partnerships with global advertisers. SKI Partners’ executive leadership’s deep understanding of diverse markets, its quiet thesis, and its capability to forge strong alliances with leading global brands in emerging markets, makes it an immediate strong competitor across a host of opportunities. My role as chairman of FAME has provided me with unique perspectives on managing and growing successful enterprises, which I am eager to apply to help SKI Partners navigate the dynamic landscape of sports entertainment, especially in the MENA and African regions.”

Dr. Harvey Schiller, SKI Partners Advisory Board Member, “The sports, media, real estate and entertainment markets are experiencing unprecedented growth driven by rising global media rights and changing distribution models with very attractive fundamentals. However, as these markets and properties grow, especially in the emerging markets, there is an increasing need for experienced senior operators who also understand the unique nuisance of private equity, international governing bodies and sports as soft power.”

Sulaiman Alquhidan, SKI Partners Advisory Board, “I am honored to join SKI’s Advisory Board, a company made of executives and colleagues that I have known in some cases for over ten years – this team has consistently set benchmarks in the sports entertainment industry – their impressive track record in emerging markets and strong relationships with global advertisers and investors position them uniquely for continued success and, most importantly, the collective trust in each other assists our own corporate goals. I look forward to contributing to the company’s future achievements and working with such a talented executive team.”

Abdullatif Mohamed Kanoo, SKI Partners Advisory Board, “Joining the esteemed team at SKI Partners via the Advisory Board represents an exciting new chapter in my relationship to sport and entertainment, especially within my region and sphere of interest. I have long admired the company’s principals’ innovative approach to the sports, media and entertainment as a service sector concept. SKI Partners’ ability to leverage its deep understanding of diverse markets and forge strong alliances with leading global brands, and private entities, especially as many of the future-forward brands in sport will be from emerging markets, positions SKI Partners uniquely for continued success – and most importantly – I share with them the value of business with friendship built for the long term while growing the next generation of leaders in the field.”

About SKI Partners

SKI Partners provides c-suite executive level advisory across a range of sectors in the sports, media, real estate, and entertainment fields with a leading practice to middle market private equity companies who use global sport and entertainment as a lever for business development. With locations in Palm Beach, New York, Los Angeles, London, and Riyadh, SKI Partners offers significant c-suite level experience through a commercial rights captive-capital duality model where their executive level operator experience affords an accelerated pathway to success whilst maintaining their core value of being quiet about whom they represent and the engagement they do for such. For more information, please visit our website (www.SKIpartners.io).

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