London, 08 July 2025

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The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) and the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) proudly endorse the official launch of Global Game Shapers (GGS) — a first-of-its-kind international leadership network committed to accelerating gender equity, empowering women leaders, and fostering collective leadership across the sporting goods industry.

Yesterday, leaders, innovators, and allies from across the global sporting industry gathered in London for the inaugural Global Game Shapers launch event, marking the beginning of a transformative movement designed to break down systemic barriers, create real leadership opportunities for women, and drive long-term, sustainable change with the active support of male allies.

Endorsed and Supported by Industry Leaders
The Global Game Shapers initiative was sparked after a pivotal gathering at ISPO in December 2024, where the urgent need for action became clear. The initiative was co-founded by Charlotte Cox, former President of Pentland EMEA and Board member of FESI, Emma Zwiebler, CEO of WFSGI, and other senior industry leaders committed to driving systemic change in a sector where women still occupy only 8.5% of CEO roles¹.
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“We realized the need for a dedicated platform and took action so women in our industry can connect, support each other, and drive real change,” said Charlotte Cox.
Emma Zwiebler added, “This isn’t just about representation—it’s about unlocking the full potential of our industry. Global Game Shapers provides a space for mentorship, knowledge-sharing, and leadership development to ensure the next generation of women leaders can thrive.”

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Launch Event Highlights
The full-day launch event, held at Pentland Brands Office in London, offered an interactive program designed to spark bold conversations, forge powerful connections, and lay the foundation for future action. This included a Keynote Talk by Laura Youngson, CEO at IDA Sports, offering insights into inclusive leadership and impact, a Spotlight Session hosted by McKinsey, inspirational panels and workshops, and networking activities — all designed to forge powerful connections and lay the foundation for lasting change.

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Together, We Rise
At the heart of Global Game Shapers is a simple but powerful mission:

• To connect and support female leaders
• To empower through mentorship and knowledge-sharing
• To drive meaningful, lasting change with the support of male allies
• To build a global movement rooted in collective leadership                                                    

Guided by six core values — community, empowerment, knowledge-sharing, inclusivity, future leadership development, and purpose over profit — GGS provides a global platform for thought leadership, mentorship, and community building.

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WFSGI and FESI: A call to action

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As founding members, Emma Zwiebler (WFSGI) and Ariane Gatti (FESI) have helped shape the vision behind GGS. Both the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) and the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) proudly endorse the initiative, aligning with their shared commitment to promoting gender equity and empowering women across all levels of the sport and sporting goods ecosystem. WFSGI and FESI encourage all members, partners, and industry professionals to get involved and help drive lasting impact.

Let’s continue to rise together and reshape the future of leadership in our industry.

• Join the Movement – Follow GGS on LinkedIn and amplify the conversation – LinkedIn
• Engage & Share – Use #GlobalGameShapers to tell your leadership story
• Support the Future – Uplift the next generation of female leaders

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^{1Source:  SGI Europe, Women in Leadership in the Sporting Goods Industry 2024}