Mathie has been working as a CSM consultant since mid-2023 and previously worked for Infront, Lagardere Sports, and World Sport Group. (Credit: CSM)

Multinational sports and entertainment agency CSM, acquired by Wasserman late last year, has announced Ian Mathie, a highly experienced sports business executive, as its new managing director for Saudi Arabia.

Mathie relocated to the CSM office in Saudi’s capital Riyadh in mid-September, with responsibility for “enhancing CSM’s proposition in Saudi Arabia,” as the Kingdom’s rapidly growing sports and entertainment industries provide new opportunities for agencies involved.

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CSM formally opened its Riyadh office three years ago and also has Middle East premises in Jeddah, Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.

Mathie has been working as a CSM consultant since mid-2023, having before that held senior roles at heavyweight sports agencies such as Infront (managing director of pan-Asia), Lagardere Sports (senior vice president), and World Sport Group (vice president).

He has over 25 years’ experience in the sports media and sponsorship industries, including in “securing lucrative partnerships between premier rights holders and major brands and broadcasters in both Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.”

The new Saudi Arabia MD spent nine years at World Sports Group, another nine at Lagardere, and then seven at Infront, running that agency’s Pan-Asia operation until his departure in May 2020.

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CSM, meanwhile, has been involved in several major sporting events in Saudi Arabia over recent years, such as soccer’s FIFA Club World Cup, motor racing’s Formula 1 Saudi Grand Prix, and tennis’ WTA Finals (taking place in Saudi Arabia for the 2024-26 cycle).

The agency has said that its acquisition by Wasserman “brings significant advantages to the US market,” particularly with regard to US tie-ups.

Matt Vandrau, president for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as Asia-Pacific, at Wasserman, said: “Ian joins a hugely experienced leadership team in the region who, over the past 30 years, have established CSM as the leading sport and entertainment marketing agency operating in the Middle East.

“Together, we are committed to investing further into the Kingdom, ensuring we continue to service our clients in Saudi Arabia with the full breadth of capabilities we have to offer.”

The integration of CSM into the Wasserman structure began with the acquisition and has been taking place throughout 2024.