Soccerex are delighted to announce that AC Milan Chief Commercial Officer, Jaap Kalma, will be speaking at the Soccerex Global Convention, 4-6 September, Manchester. Kalma will join a panel of senior club figures to discuss club brand values and how they can be leveraged to grow fan bases both domestically and overseas.

Jaap’s career has seen him work at huge global brands such as Unilever and Ferrari, before taking his position at Italian giants AC Milan, where he has been for three years. In his role as Chief Commercial Officer for the club, he oversees a variety of sectors including marketing, sales, brand management and sponsorship for the club worldwide.

AC Milan is a club synonymous with glamour, style and success having won the UEFA Champion’s League seven times with many of the world’s biggest players pulling on the famous Rossoneri jersey. Their success has created a brand which has brought them many fans around the globe and they are undoubtedly one of the biggest football brands in Europe, despite going through a transition period in recent years. Having recently attracted significant Chinese investment ahead of a potential takeover, however, the club is seemingly entering an exciting chapter in their history as they look to become a force in Europe once more. Their ambition on the pitch is also being reflected off the pitch as the club seeks to propel its brand into different markets both domestically and internationally.

Kalma will be speaking on ‘Maximising your club’s brand values’, alongside Dutch football legend and now CEO of Ajax, Edwin Van Der Sar. The two Dutchmen will be discussing why it is important for football clubs’ to create and maintain values and the measures that need to be taken to keep this culture consistent and embedded for the future. Jaap’s work at one of the most successful club’s on the continent will provide an excellent insight into how football clubs can effectively establish an identity, despite whatever changes may take place in personnel throughout the years.

Kalma will be contributing to a thought provoking conference programme at the Soccerex Global Convention, designed to deliver unique business insight across a variety of football’s key sectors from stadia design, sponsorship, international investment, the latest in wearable technology and the rise of influencer marketing.