Divyanshu Singh becomes CEO of JSW Sports, succeeds Mustafa Ghouse

New Delhi: JSW Sports has announced the appointment of Divyanshu Singh as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company. He succeeds Mustafa Ghouse, who has moved on to start Centre Court Capital, a venture capital fund investing in sports technology and gaming. Ghouse will continue his association with JSW Sports in the role of Director.

Singh joined JSW Sports in 2017 to establish the Sales and Marketing division, overseeing commercial growth across athletes, programmes, and franchises including Bengaluru FC, Haryana Steelers, Soorma Hockey Club, Pretoria Capitals, and Delhi Capitals. He played a key role in expanding the Inspire Institute of Sport into one of India’s largest CSR-funded Olympic sports programmes and launched an independent agency vertical that has since doubled in revenue, extending JSW Sports’ commercial reach.

In 2021, Singh took over management of the Haryana Steelers in the Pro Kabaddi League, leading the franchise to strong performances, including runner-up and championship finishes in the past two seasons. In 2023, he was elevated to Chief Operating Officer, managing company-wide operations.

Speaking on the appointment, Parth Jindal, Founder of JSW Sports, said, “Divyanshu has been a part of the JSW family for eight years, and has grown into the role. I have complete confidence that under Divyanshu’s leadership and vision, JSW Sports will keep pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved in Indian sport. I wish him the best for what I am certain will be a successful chapter for both, him and JSW Sports.”

Jindal added, “Mustafa and I built JSW Sports together from 2012, and he will always remain an integral part to how we’ve grown. I wish him the best with Centre Court Capital. He will continue to be involved in what we do and will provide strategic direction to Divyanshu and JSW Sports.”

On his new role, Singh said, “The last eight years at JSW Sports have been the best of my professional career in which we have been a part of historical moments on and off the pitch, with the single vision of driving a positive impact in Indian sport. I have learnt a lot from Mustafa who, together with Parth, have been great mentors who have built such a strong foundation for all of us here at JSW Sports.”

He added, “Indian sport requires new imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit to solve complex issues and create value for the entire ecosystem through disruptive business models, and the next phase will be about creating self-sustainable and value creating businesses in Indian sport. My vision is to build on our legacy and establish JSW Sports as a market leader with a wider lens on sport which is not restricted to just the spectator sports market.”

Singh has a background in professional tennis, achieving a career-high national ranking of 24 in India and playing club tennis in Valencia, Spain. Following his professional sporting career, he worked as a tennis coach at Tennis Excellence Pvt Ltd before transitioning into sports business, including roles in Talent Management at Cornerstone Sports and Entertainment and New Business Development at IMG-Reliance.

An MBA graduate from the Indian School of Business (ISB) in Marketing and Strategy, Singh has also undertaken studies in Sports Management at Leipzig University, High Performance Leadership at Loughborough University, Digital Marketing at the University of Cambridge, and Sports for Development at UNESCO.