Hans Westerbeek
Dec 02, 2019 2020-09-27 15:16Hans Westerbeek
Hans Westerbeek
Hans Westerbeek is Professor of International Sport Business and Head of the Sport Business Insights Group at Victoria University (VU) in Melbourne, Australia. He came to VU 10 years ago as the founding Director of the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL) (now Institute for Health & Sport). He then took on the role of Dean of the College of Sport and Exercise Science followed by heading up the VU-wide sport strategy as Pro-Vice Chancellor Sport.
Earlier in his career he served as the Head of the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management at La Trobe University and he continues to hold Professorial appointments at the Free University of Brussels, the Real Madrid Graduate School and the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing, China. Before migrating to Australia in 1994, he worked as a marketing professional in the Netherlands. He co-founded the European Association for Sport Management (EASM) and was a founding member of the European Union’s European Network of Sport Science Institutes. In Australia he was one of the founding Board members of the Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand (SMAANZ) for which he also served as President. Professor Westerbeek is an active researcher and consultant to a variety of international organisations. He has worked for more than 50 different organisations including FIFA, the Australian Football League, Tennis Australia, The Australian Sports Commission, the International Tennis Federation and the Dutch Football Association, and for governments in countries such as United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, China, Portugal, Belgium and India.
His experience in the Indian market includes a current project that is running with the government of Kerala titled: ‘Sporting excellence through partnership and development’ (2019-2021) the first phase of which was delivered in 2014-2015. A project titled ‘Physical literacy – a foundation for sporting excellence in India’ took place in partnership with the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon in 2017. On behalf of the Australia-India council, Hans and colleagues conducted a project titled: ‘Building capacity in the State sporting systems, and a project titled: ‘Pathways to sporting excellence in India’ on behalf of the State Government of Punjab was started in 2016. Hans has also run a sport technology hackathon with Zone Startups in Mumbai in 2016.
Hans has written 25 books in the fields of sport business, marketing and management and in excess of 200 refereed and popular scientific articles. He is frequently contributing to the media, and holds various expert appointments around the world including positions with the Dutch Sports Council in the Netherlands, with fanbase marketing company SportsCloud International and with the Ingesport Group in Spain.
- Professor of International Sport Business and Head of Sport Business Insights Group at Victoria University, Australia
- Co-founded the European Association for Sport Management (EASM) and a founding member of the European Union’s European Network of Sport Science Institutes. In Australia, one of the founding Board members of the Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand (SMAANZ).
- Active researcher and consultant to a variety of international organisations. Has worked for more than 50 different organisations including FIFA, the Australian Football League, Tennis Australia, The Australian Sports Commission, the International Tennis Federation and the Dutch Football Association, and for governments in countries such as United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, China, Portugal, Belgium and India.
- Has written 25 books in the fields of sport business, marketing and management and in excess of 200 refereed and popular scientific articles. Frequently contributing to the media, and holds various expert appointments around the world including positions with the Dutch Sports Council in the Netherlands, with fanbase marketing company SportsCloud International and with the Ingesport Group in Spain.
- Experience in the Indian market includes projects with the Government of Kerala, the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon and Government of Punjab.
