AHMED ABABOU

Sports Business Graduate Candidate

New York, US.

About

Highly ambitious NYU Sport Business graduate candidate with a 3.96 GPA, bringing international experience across mega-event operations, sponsorship strategy, and commercial partnerships in Europe, Africa, and the U.S. Eager to leverage proven capabilities in strategic planning, cross-functional coordination, and data-driven decision-making to excel in the Relevent Graduate Programme and shape the future of global football commercial strategy.

Work

FIFA World Cup 2026

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Airport Deputy Manager (Incoming)

Philadelphia, USA, US

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Summary

Selected as second-in-command, Ahmed Ababou will lead critical airport operations and stakeholder coordination for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Highlights

Selected as Airport Deputy Manager, demonstrating high potential and trust to oversee critical airport operations for a global mega-event.

Lead coordination of complex arrivals and departures across airside, landside, and terminal operations, ensuring seamless flow for thousands of participants and spectators.

Manage collaboration among airlines, airport authorities, transport providers, and FIFA functional teams to guarantee integrated service delivery.

Support robust service delivery under defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs) during tournament operations and test events, ensuring peak performance and compliance.

1896 Sports Management

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Intern

Casablanca, Morocco, Morocco

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Summary

As an Intern, Ahmed Ababou managed on-site branding and coordinated visibility reporting for a major sports event.

Highlights

Managed on-site branding setup at Stade Père Jégo, ensuring 100% CAF compliance and maximizing sponsor visibility during WAFCON 2025.

Coordinated activations and visibility reporting for CAF partner Rexona, enhancing brand presence and accountability during WAFCON 2025.

Moroccan Innovation Circle (MIC)

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Head of Strategy & Sports

, Morocco, Morocco

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Summary

As Head of Strategy & Sports, Ahmed Ababou designed and executed strategic initiatives, building a global community and launching sports programs.

Highlights

Designed and executed MIC's short- and mid-term strategy, successfully building a community of Moroccan students from 26 top universities worldwide.

Launched Sports vertical initiatives, engaging over 150 members through industry events and panels, fostering professional development and networking.

Managed event and networking initiatives to connect students from Ivy League, Oxbridge, and Grandes Écoles, expanding MIC's global reach and impact.

SportFive - Sport marketing agency (52 offices worldwide)

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Internship

Paris, France, France

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Summary

As an intern, Ahmed Ababou conducted market research, developed commercial proposals, and coordinated client deliverables for a leading global sports marketing agency.

Highlights

Conducted in-depth market research across MENA markets, directly supporting multi-million € sponsorship tenders and informing commercial strategy.

Contributed to commercial proposal development for international rights packages across Europe, Africa, and the Gulf region, enhancing sales opportunities.

Coordinated cross-regional client deliverables and stakeholder communication across three continents, ensuring seamless project execution and client satisfaction.

National Women's Football League

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Internship

Rabat, Morocco, Morocco

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Summary

As an intern, Ahmed Ababou supported logistics and match operations for a major women's football tournament.

Highlights

Supported logistics and match operations for WAFCON 2022 across 12 national teams, ensuring smooth event execution.

Contributed to the successful staging of a record-attendance final with 45,000 spectators, demonstrating operational capability in large-scale events.

Roommate Hotels

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Consulting

Madrid, Spain, Spain

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Summary

As a consultant, Ahmed Ababou developed market entry and marketing strategies for an international expansion project.

Highlights

Developed a comprehensive market entry strategy for an international expansion project, identifying key opportunities and challenges.

Formulated a targeted marketing strategy to support international growth, aiming to maximize brand visibility and market penetration.

Education

New York University (NYU)

New York, USA, United States of America
Master Sport Business Grade: 3.96/4

IE BUSINESS SCHOOL

Madrid, Spain, Spain
Bachelor Business Administration Grade: 3.46/4

Languages

French

Arabic

English

Spanish

Skills

Commercial & Business Strategy

Commercial Strategy, Sponsorship Strategy, Market Research, Business Development, Strategic Planning, Marketing Strategy, Partnership Management, Client Relationship Management, Sales Support, Media Rights.

Project & Event Management

Mega-event Operations, Event Logistics, Stakeholder Coordination, Project Delivery, Operational Management, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Branding & Activations, Cross-functional Collaboration.

Data & Analytics

Data Analysis, Market Research, Visibility Reporting, Strategic Decision-Making, Data-driven Insights.

Communication & Leadership

Stakeholder Communication, Community Building, Team Leadership, Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving, Client Engagement.

Technical Proficiency

Microsoft Office Suite, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Data Presentation.

Industry Knowledge

Sports Business, Football Operations, UEFA Competitions, FIFA Operations, International Markets (Europe, Africa, MENA, Gulf).

Interests

Sports

Soccer, Sports Industry.

Current Affairs

Geopolitics.

Arts

Cinema.