Ebru Köksal, Galatasaray SK board member will be speaking at the Soccerex Asian Forum. The event is held in partnership with the Asian Football Development Project (ADFP) and will take place on May 13 & 14 at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, situated on the banks of The Dead Sea, Jordan. Ebru Köksal

A former investment banker for Morgan Stanley in New York, Köksal has had an impressive career within the football industry including her post as General Manager of Galatasaray, General Secretary of the Turkish Football Federation and Executive Board Member of the European Club Association, the first time a woman has joined the board.

In a session titled ‘the continent of opportunity’, Ebru, alongside other senior club representatives, will  look at the various business opportunities the Asian market presents to European clubs, including pre-season tours and targeted sponsorships, as well as the different marketing strategies needed to grow a club’s international fan base. Ranked 16th in the Deloitte Football Money League report, Galatasaray are one of the driving forces in world football both on and off the pitch, with Roberto Mancini as Head Coach and global superstars such as Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba within the squad.

Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie commented: “It is a great pleasure to welcome Ebru and Galatasaray to the Asian Forum. As one of the biggest teams in the world, and a unique geographical location between Europe and Asia, they’re well placed to talk about the different business and marketing approaches needed to succeed in the Asian market. ”

The Forum will bring together the leading figures from the world of Asian football as well as other international football experts to discuss the development of the game across Asia. Industry leaders already signed up include FIFA Vice-Presidents HRH Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein and David Chung, FIFA Executive Committee members Sunil Gulati and Hany Abu Rida, AFC Vice-President Moya Dodd and All-India Football Federation General Secretary Kushal Das. The conference agenda will include a review of the opportunities for growth and the challenges facing Asian football.