01.
Define your non-negotiables
We get specific about the capability required, the type of person you are looking for, the experience that is needed and the environment the person will be joining.
A DEDICATED PRACTICE, NOT A SIDELINE
What we cover
Women’s sport is growing in investment, audience and ambition. The organisations driving it need people who can build, often from a standing start. We search across:
- Club, league and federation leadership
- Ownership groups and multi-club platforms
- Performance, medical and coaching staff
- Commercial, partnerships and rights
- Media, content and fan growth
- Data, technology and insight
- Venue, event and tournament teams
The brief is often new: a role that did not exist two seasons ago, in an organisation still finding its shape. That is the kind of search we do best.
WOMEN'S SPORT
NEW ORGANISATIONS. NEW ROLES. THE SAME STANDARD.
Many appointments in women’s sport are firsts. The first full-time head of a function. The first data lead. The first commercial director. There is rarely a long list of people who have done the exact job before.
So we map wider. We look across other sports, the men’s game, the wider business world and international markets, and we test properly whether experience will travel. Our women’s sport team, Isabella Jarvis and Emily Salusbury, work alongside ICP’s senior partners from brief to appointment.
How we work
Senior-led from brief to appointment
ONE CONNECTED SPORTS ECOSYSTEM
Where ICP works
- Clubs, leagues and federations
- Rights holders and ownership groups
- Performance, medical and elite sporting environments
- Stadiums, venues, events and live experiences
- Sports media, broadcast, production and content
- Fan engagement, digital publishing and OTT platforms
- Sports technology, data, analytics and innovation
- Women’s sport
These sectors align with ICP’s six-practice-area structure and its definition of modern sport as a connected ecosystem rather than a set of silos.
CASE STUDY - BAY COLLECTIVE
GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF DATA & TECHNOLOGY
Bay Collective retained ICP to appoint a Global Director of Data & Technology for its growing global women’s football platform.
We ran an international search, mapping senior data, technology and football performance talent worldwide, and worked weekly with the Global Sporting Director throughout. The search led to the appointment of Joe Sullivan.
TESTIMONIAL
“Their process is honest, rigorous and commercially focused, with clear communication and a strong understanding of the sport and technology landscape. They consistently deliver high-quality people, and I would have no hesitation in recommending them to others in my network.”
TESTIMONIAL
“Their understanding of the data, technology, and football landscape enabled them to quickly grasp both the technical requirements and the wider context of our needs. The process was highly streamlined, focused, and well managed throughout, ultimately giving us access to a strong and relevant talent pool.”
TESTIMONIAL
“ICP Search have supported projects for me on several occasions, always bringing a trusted, highly professional and well-managed search process. Their delivery is consistently excellent, and I would wholeheartedly recommend Gary and the team across football, sport and the wider purpose-led sector.”
TESTIMONIAL
“Having been appointed as CEO of Freeman’s Event Partners through an ICP Search process, I experienced first-hand the quality, clarity and care Gary and the team bring to senior appointments. Their process is exceptionally well run and delivers the right outcomes for clients and candidates alike.”
TESTIMONIAL
“Having known Gary for many years, including through my time with Team GB, I have always valued the trust, discretion and professionalism he brings to every conversation. ICP Search run an excellent process: clear communication, realistic expectation-setting and a successful outcome in a short timeframe.”
TESTIMONIAL
“During my transition from the BBC, Gary and the ICP Search team were an exceptional source of support and guidance as I considered my next steps. They combined a highly professional, well-connected approach with genuine care, discretion and a clear understanding of the sports-media landscape.”
TESTIMONIAL
“NEP has partnered with ICP Search for many years on a range of mid- to senior-level appointments. Gary and the team have earned our trust through a consistently strong process, niche market understanding, clear communication and high-quality delivery. I would have no hesitation in recommending them.”
TESTIMONIAL
“ICP Search impressed me with the quality of its process, its understanding of the sport and sports-media markets, and the trust Gary and the team built throughout our work together. They are thorough, well connected and highly effective at identifying the people who can genuinely strengthen an organisation.”
TEAMS WE HAVE SUPPORTED
