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Our Experts

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Dan Miodownik,
CEO of HBS

Dan has been with HBS since 2004, and previously held the position of Chief Content Officer (CCO). His career started in news radio in 1991, before he moved to senior roles at Sky Sports, ITV Sport in the UK and the TEAM Marketing’s Champions League operation in Switzerland.

He has worked on the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup™ events. In addition, Dan had been HBS project leader for FIFA’s other events since 2004, including Women’s World Cups in China 2007 and Germany 2011 as well as multiple events in Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America. Dan is a regular speaker at broadcasting conferences and is paving the way for technological innovations in the field of sports broadcasting to change the way we watch sports.

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Luc Antoine Charial,
Chief Operating Officer

Luc-Antoine Charial joined HBS in 2000. He was the Finance Manager for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, Director of Corporate Affairs at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ and Director of Finance for the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006. He has been the Director of Finance & Administration for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and 2014 Brazil™ and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. He was the Project Director for the 18th Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang in 2018.

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John Watts,
Executive Producer & Director

  • One of the world’s most experienced multi-camera live sports directors.
  • Won a BAFTA award and received 10 nominations, plus 4 Royal Television Society awards and a RTS Fellowship.
  • His extensive football credits include six English FA Cup finals, five English League Cup Finals, over 20 years of UEFA Champions League coverage – including the Finals in 2002, 2003 and 4K coverage of the Final in 2016.
  • He has directed the host broadcast coverage at the FIFA World Cup™ in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and the European Championship in 1996, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016.

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Laurent Lachand,
Sports Director

  • A highly experienced director, active since 1997, he was selected by both HBS and FIFA to work on FIFA World Cup events.
  • ​His most recent international achievement is being the Sports Director for the final of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
  • Laurent also works on many UEFA club competitions and domestically he is one of the most prominent producer in French football.

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John Helm,
Commentator

John Helm has been involved in journalism since leaving school in 1959, working on regional and national newspapers.

A former Head of Outside Broadcasts for the BBC, he has commentated on more than 20 sports during a radio and television career spanning almost 50 years. John has commentated at Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, nine FIFA World CupTM events, and numerous golf events around the world.

He has also been involved with the FIFA Broadcast Academy in the past, conducting courses in numerous African countries. Perhaps best remembered for his commentary on the 1985 Bradford City fire disaster, John has won recognition for his work including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Royal Television Society. He was included in the Guinness Book of Records for being able to name all 92 clubs in the English Football League in 26 seconds.

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Emma Josling,
Television Director & Producer

Emma is a very experienced Television Director and Producer. She worked at BBC Television for many years as Series Director & Producer on football, cricket, tennis, and numerous major sporting events. In the world of football, she has covered Men’s & Women’s World Cup, European Championships, Champions League, FA Cup, Women’s Super League, European Football Leagues and the EFL Championship. She also works as a Director for Host Broadcasters on both Summer & Winter Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Wimbledon, and boxing events

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Sigrid Lelièvre,
Sports Director

Sigrid Lelièvre is an accomplished multi-camera live sports director, known for her work in football, tennis, and handball events. She holds the unique distinction of being the sole female director entrusted with overseeing France’s premier football tournament, Ligue 1. Additionally, she directs high-profile matches in women’s soccer for the renowned broadcasting network, Canal+.

Starting her career as a Technical Director and replay operator in 2013, Sigrid swiftly rose to prominence by contributing significantly to the production of major events such as the Euro Handball Champion’s League, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019, UEFA Euro 2020, and FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar. Her capabilities have been refined through training and mentorship provided by the Broadcast Academy, showcasing her dedication to continuous improvement and mastery in her field. Leveraging her hard-earned expertise, she transformed from student to instructor, becoming a trainer for Concacaf through the Broadcast Academy.

Expanding her influence globally, Sigrid has also taken on a mentoring role in Africa, where she has actively enhanced the skills of local directors and technical teams through focused training initiatives.