John Clayman

Background

About John Clayman

Over 20 years I have built and led global sports sponsorship portfolios that sit at the intersection of brand strategy, commercial performance and fan culture. At Marriott International, I oversee a $50M+ EMEA partnership portfolio spanning Formula 1 (Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS), Manchester United, FIFA World Cup 2026, the NFL, ICC Cricket, and, pioneering the brand's first move into gaming and esports, EA FC and League of Legends. Across these platforms I have consistently turned rights investments into high-performing marketing engines that drive loyalty, new audience acquisition and measurable revenue for one of the world's most recognised hospitality brands. I lead a cross-functional operation spanning 4 agency partners and indirect teams across 16 EMEA focus markets, shaping sponsorship strategy from investment to the point of activation, and presenting portfolio performance and investment recommendations directly to senior leadership. My work spans the full commercial cycle: rights identification and negotiation, brand integration, global activation, fan experience, digital and CRM, and rigorous ROI measurement. I believe the most powerful sponsorships are engineered, not assembled. That means aligning rights, activation and measurement before a deal is signed; and building programmes that create genuine value for brands, rights holders and fans in equal measure. It is this discipline that has allowed Marriott to compete at the highest level of global sport and entertainment while delivering tangible commercial returns. Before Marriott, I spent over six years as Commercial Director at Radar Sport & Entertainment, advising senior brand leaders and rights holders across FIFA World Cup, Formula 1 and ICC Cricket. Earlier, I built my foundations at Wasserman (then JMI F1 Agency), working on UBS and Johnnie Walker's Formula 1 partnerships, giving me both the agency and brand-side perspective that informs how I negotiate and activate today. I hold a Master's in Sport Management with Marketing (Merit) from London Metropolitan University and a BA in Modern Languages (French, Italian) from the University of Exeter. Both have been practical assets in building trust and navigating complexity in managing multilateral, global & multi-market partnership programmes.