MEET AMY SMITH: INDUSTRY EXPERT JOINS THE WSA ADVISORY BOARD
Amy Smith joins the WSA Advisory board from a diverse marketing background with a huge passion for sport and fitness. Starting her career in FMCG, Amy worked on brands such as Oral-B, Gillette, Fairy and Vichy during her time at Procter and Gamble and L’Oréal. For the last 7.5 years Amy has combined her love of sport, fitness and travel with her marketing expertise. Holding a series of global and regional marketing roles at Les Mills, world leader in group training and creator of BODYPUMP, she’s been able to make a real difference to people’s health and wellness. Outside of work, Amy’s main sport has been Netball but has recently become a fan of cycling while training for Miles for Mark Smith; a 1200km bike ride across the country that raised £56k for MND research in memory of her Dad.
WHY ARE YOU EXCITED TO BECOME A WSA ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER?
What the WSA and Jordan are setting out to achieve is truly remarkable and so needed for current and future generations of female athletes. Being able to support through the board, and make a difference to women’s sport and athletes, is an absolute dream and an incredible honour. The WSA board is a very inspiring group to join and I’m excited what we can achieve together
FOR SOMEONE WITH YOUR EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE, HOW DO YOU FEEL THE AWARENESS OF FEMALE ATHLETES HAS GROWN IN THE LAST DECADE?
The last decade, especially the last few years, has seen a real and positive shift for women’s sport and female athletes. It has been amazing to see so many attendance and viewer records being broken in women’s sport. There is now significantly more investment in sponsorship which comes hand in hand with the rise, and rightful, recognition of many elite female athletes. This Olympic Games will have an equal number of male and female athletes, which is a first in the history of the games and therefore an important milestone. However, despite such great shifts and moves in the right direction there is so much more to be done.
WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN THE CATALYST FOR THIS GROWTH?
Key events, such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup, have made an undeniable impact on the growth and engagement of women’s sport. Media coverage, investment and focus from broadcasters, brands and organisations have been critical. Underpinning this, the growth of female role models and the visibility of elite female athletes is helping build this momentum, which is why the work of the WSA is so important.
WHY ARE YOU EXCITED BY THE WSA MISSION? (MISSION IS: BY 2023, WE WANT FEMALE ATHLETES TO REPRESENT AT LEAST 50% OF THE HIGHEST PAID ATHLETES IN THE WORLD LIST - IN 2023, THERE WERE ZERO!)
Zero in 2023…..! How can there be zero female athletes in the top 200 in 2023? I think this statistic and reality says it all and why the mission of the WSA is so critical. Thinking of the young athletes that will be at the top of their game by 2030, if we can achieve this mission, it will be life changing for these individuals and monumental for women’s sport
Are there any learnings that female athletes can take from Les Mills Athletes?
Being at the top of your game is obviously a must, but knowing and growing your own brand will be key. What you stand for, your values and your contribution is important to know, and be true to, especially when working with brands. This shared understanding and alignment with brands’ own values will create the right foundations for great partnerships.
HOW DO YOU SEE WOMEN'S SPORT EVOLVING OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, AND WHAT ROLE WILL ORGANISATIONS LIKE THE WSA PLAY IN THE NEXT DECADE?
I’m incredibly excited and hopeful about how women’s sport will evolve over the next decade. Not only will we see more investment, better coverage, and greater sponsorship opportunities, hopefully representation and support will improve at all levels. From grass root to professional level, from across all sectors and organisations, women and female athletes will have equal opportunities and representation.
And, of course, the WSA mission will be achieved with female athletes representing at least 50% of the highest paid athletes by 2030!