Executive Search for Sports, Sports-Adjacent and Global Industries
We lead in sport. We deliver everywhere leadership matters.
AGTS recruits C-suite, president, general manager and senior leadership appointments for leagues, franchises and the businesses around them — and brings that same search rigor to technology, finance, private equity and government clients across the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
Where We Lead
Sports Executive Search
AGTS was founded by leaders who ran global talent acquisition inside institutions including the NBA. We know how leagues, franchises and sports properties make leadership decisions because we have sat on the inside of those decisions.
That gives our clients a search partner with direct access to front-office talent, a working understanding of league governance and commercial models, and the credibility to approach executives who are not looking to move.
We run confidential retained searches for professional leagues, franchises, federations, collegiate programs and ownership groups across North America, Europe and the Gulf.
Front-Office and Leadership Mandates
- League and federation executives
- Team presidents and chief executives
- General managers and sporting directors
- Chief revenue, commercial and partnership officers
- Chief marketing and brand officers
- Chief financial and operating officers
- Heads of ticketing, hospitality and fan experience
- Heads of people, talent and performance operations
- Athletic directors and collegiate leadership
The Business of Sport
Sports-Adjacent Executive Search
The industries that surround sport — media, technology, betting, apparel, venues and investment — need leaders who understand fans, rights and competition as well as they understand a balance sheet. Our network reaches both.
Sports Media & Broadcasting
Rights holders, streaming platforms, production companies and digital publishers building the next generation of sports content leadership.
Sports Technology & Data
Performance analytics, fan engagement platforms, ticketing technology and the venture-backed companies reshaping how sport is run and consumed.
Betting, Gaming & Fantasy
Regulated operators, suppliers and affiliates that need commercial, compliance and product leaders who understand both sport and regulation.
Apparel, Equipment & Licensing
Global brands, challenger labels and licensing businesses recruiting leaders across product, marketing, retail and athlete partnerships.
Venues, Live Events & Hospitality
Stadium and arena operators, event promoters and hospitality groups that depend on world-class operational and commercial executives.
Sports Investment & Ownership Groups
Private equity, sovereign and family-office investors with sports assets who need portfolio leadership that can create value on and off the field.
Beyond Sport
Executive Search Across Global Industries
The discipline that wins in sport — speed, precision, and an unforgiving standard for performance — is the same discipline we bring to every industry we serve.
Technology
Software, AI, cloud and platform companies recruiting the engineering, product and commercial leaders who drive digital transformation.
Financial Services
Banks, asset managers, fintechs and insurers securing leadership in investment, risk, compliance and growth functions.
Private Equity & Portfolio Companies
Operating partners and portfolio CEOs, CFOs and functional leaders built for value creation across global investments.
Government & Public Sector
Ministries, commissions and public institutions strengthening governance, security and public-service delivery through senior appointments.
High-Growth Startups
Founder-led and venture-backed businesses making their first executive hires and building leadership teams to match their trajectory.
Pro-Athlete Advisory
Career architecture and post-career executive placement for professional athletes, delivered by the same team that recruits the front office.
Where We Work
Executive Search in the United States, Europe and the Middle East
Registered headquarters in the United States and the United Arab Emirates, a European office in Portugal, and a search network that follows the game wherever it is played.
United States
North American headquarters in York, Maine
Our US practice serves professional leagues, franchises and collegiate programs alongside technology, finance and private equity clients from coast to coast.
Europe
European office in Porto, Portugal
From Porto we support clubs, leagues, federations and sports-adjacent businesses across the United Kingdom, Iberia, Germany, France and Italy, as well as pan-European corporate mandates.
Middle East
Registered UAE headquarters in Ras Al Khaimah
Our Gulf practice works with the sports properties, investment vehicles and giga-projects transforming the region — supporting league launches, venue programmes and international leadership relocation into the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Our Process
How a Retained Search Runs at AGTS
One accountable team from brief to onboarding, with the confidentiality and market intelligence that senior appointments demand.
Brief & Role Calibration
We work with your board or leadership team to define the mandate, success profile, compensation benchmarks and the cultural fit that will make the appointment succeed.
Market Mapping & Research
Our research team maps the global talent landscape for the role — inside sport, in adjacent sectors and in industries where transferable leadership lives.
Approach & Assessment
We approach candidates directly and confidentially, then assess against the success profile through structured interviews, referencing and market intelligence.
Shortlist & Selection
You receive a calibrated shortlist with detailed candidate reports, and we facilitate every stage of the interview and decision process.
Offer, Onboarding & Follow-Through
We support offer negotiation, relocation and onboarding, and stay engaged after the start date to make sure the placement delivers.
Why Organizations Retain AGTS
Operator Credibility
Our leadership held Global Head of Talent Acquisition roles at institutions including the NBA. We recruit as former operators, not observers.
Two-Sided Sports Network
We advise professional athletes and consult to franchises, so our reach spans locker rooms, front offices, ownership groups and the businesses around them.
Sports Rigor, Any Industry
The same calibrated, evidence-led search process places leaders in technology, finance, private equity and government.
Three-Region Footprint
Headquarters in the United States and the UAE plus a European office mean local market intelligence and cross-border mobility on every mandate.
Executive Search FAQs
Does AGTS only recruit for sports organizations?
No. Sports is where our leadership built their careers and where we lead, but the same retained search practice places senior executives in sports-adjacent sectors such as media, sports technology, betting and gaming, apparel and venues, and in technology, financial services, private equity, government and high-growth companies.
What levels and roles does your executive search practice cover?
We recruit board, C-suite, president, general manager, vice president and senior director appointments. Typical mandates include chief executives, chief revenue and commercial officers, chief financial and operating officers, general managers, sporting directors and functional heads.
Which regions does AGTS serve?
AGTS is headquartered in York, Maine, in the United States and in Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, with a European office in Porto, Portugal and a presence in Accra, Ghana. Our search practice is focused on the United States, Europe and the Middle East, and we regularly run cross-border and international relocation mandates.
How does a retained executive search engagement with AGTS work?
Retained search means we work exclusively on your mandate from brief to onboarding. The engagement moves through role calibration, market mapping, confidential candidate approach and assessment, a calibrated shortlist, then offer support and post-placement follow-through.
Can AGTS help organizations entering the Middle East or launching new sports properties?
Yes. Our registered UAE headquarters and Gulf network support league launches, venue and event programmes, and inbound leadership relocation for organizations building in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
How is executive search different from your RPO and direct-hire services?
Executive search is a retained, exclusive engagement for senior leadership appointments. Recruitment process outsourcing embeds our team to run high-volume or ongoing hiring, and direct hire fills individual professional roles on a contingent basis.
Brief Us on Your Next Leadership Hire
Tell us about the role, the organization and the market. We will come back within two business days with an initial view of the search.
Start a SearchUS Headquarters
439 US Route 1, Suite AYork, ME 03909United StatesUAE Headquarters
VUET2861, Compass Building, Al HulailaAl Hulaila Industrial Zone-FZRas Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates