Off the Pitch - Jon Bagnall

Your title is Experiences Account Director, what does that actually mean day to day?

In short, I lead on client hospitality and activation delivery, and I run the operational side of our Padel Classic division, that means The Alfred Dunhill Padel Classic, Singapore, Dubai, the works. It's high-energy, high-detail, and never dull.

My background has always been in activation and delivery; two Rugby World Cups, a T20 World Cup, Formula 1. Towards the end of my last role I was looking for a new challenge, scrolled LinkedIn (as you do), and TTB Sport came up. What caught me was that this was a young agency building from scratch, not joining something fully formed, but actually helping shape it. A CV and an interview later, here I am. No regrets!

TTB's mission is to unleash the power of sport for good. What's the principle that keeps you grounded?

Treat others how you'd like to be treated. Simple, maybe obvious, but it matters. And honestly, it's easy to stick to when you work alongside people who genuinely live it too.

What's a strength people might not expect from you?

I'd say my openness and positivity, though I'll admit I'm probably not as self-aware as I should be, so take that with a pinch of salt. I try to show up with a good attitude, stay collaborative, and remember that we're actually pretty lucky to work in this industry, on projects we care about. Not every day is smooth, but the baseline's good.

What resets your head mid-week? The small thing that keeps you sane?

I became a dad recently, and it's changed everything. You close the front door at the end of the day and the job stays outside. The moment my daughter is in my arms, the noise just drops. Bathtime is chaos, bedtime runs long, but watching her fall asleep in my arms? Nothing touches it. Puts everything in perspective immediately.

What's the piece of work you look back on and think 'that was me'!

Rugby World Cup 2019. I relocated to Japan for a year to lead World Rugby's main VIP guest programme runnning stadium hospitality design, builds, catering, guest schedules, ticketing, transport. I was the only international member of an eight-person local team, which tested every communication and leadership skill I had in ways I hadn't anticipated. There were ups and downs that ultimately made the programme what it became. Living somewhere with completely different cultural and social norms, and delivering one of the biggest programmes of my career. I won't forget it. And I wouldn't change a thing.