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Andrés Iniesta joins FedEx to highlight SMEs impacting football industry

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Andrés Iniesta joins FedEx to highlight SMEs impacting football industry
Policy
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Richard W. Smith President and Chief Executive Officer Airline and International | FedEx

As the new face of FedEx's initiative "Champions of Business," Andrés Iniesta, an established global icon in football, entrepreneur, businessman, and investor, seeks to bring attention to innovative small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are impacting the football industry.

Dan Vines, Senior Vice President of Sales for FedEx Europe, and ex-footballer, founder, and CEO Bex Smith joined Iniesta to hear stories from the companies making up the FedEx Champions of Business list. This list, created in cooperation with The Financial Times, highlights SMEs that have significantly influenced football or introduced innovations to the sport. These companies are contributing to the success of football clubs across Europe, through amateur to top-tier teams, by offering pioneering technologies and solutions that enhance fan experiences.

At the initiative's launch, three selected companies showcased their innovative solutions live to Andrés, Dan, and Bex. Among them was the Czech firm Eyeball.club, presenting technology that advances football scouting worldwide. The Dutch entity The Waste Transformers displayed breakthrough containerized bioreactors that turn stadium food waste into clean energy and certified natural fertilizers. The event concluded with Austrian company zone14, a pioneer in smart camera systems that not only record, analyze, and broadcast matches and practices but also provide performance insights directly from the video.

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According to research by The Financial Times, a campaign survey of 100 European football clubs indicated that 71% acknowledged the significant value SMEs bring. Of these clubs, 47% reported that at least three out of ten of their suppliers are SMEs, and 85% aim to reach this level within the next three years.

Andrés Iniesta commented, “Football is more than just what happens on the pitch; it’s also about the efforts of companies working behind the scenes that innovate the industry and grow the game we love. It has been incredibly inspiring to hear how businesses influence and shape the future of football. The FedEx Champions of Business list is an amazing way to recognize and highlight companies that are making real changes in the sport.”

Dan Vines expressed, “The FedEx Champions of Business list is produced to honor companies that are shaping the future of football. Through our collaboration with The Financial Times, we created a list rich in valuable insights that underscores the contributions of SMEs to this sport. Working with Andrés and Bex, both recognized authorities in the world of football and business, has been a tremendous pleasure.”

Bex Smith added, “Listening to the three inspiring company stories from the FedEx Champions of Business list, alongside Dan and Andrés, was an incredibly inspiring experience. Each company is innovative, pushing the limits of football possibilities, which is exactly what we need. It’s fantastic that FedEx can find and appreciate such innovative companies that will undoubtedly shape the future of the sport we all know and love.”

FedEx, in partnership with The Financial Times, launched the "FedEx Champions of Business" list, showcasing successful firms that are breaking barriers in the football industry and positively impacting the sport.

The full list of FedEx Champions of Business is available at fedex.com/champions.

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