THE BRAND

Wilson is at an exciting point in its APAC growth story. The brand has an extraordinary performance heritage and deep credibility in tennis, while its proposition is expanding across apparel, footwear, retail, content and consumer experience.

This newly created role sits at the intersection of sport, brand, culture and commercial opportunity. It is a chance to shape how Wilson shows up across APAC and to build the partnerships that can accelerate the next phase of growth.

Tennis remains central to Wilson's heritage and future ambition, with significant opportunities emerging across major sporting platforms in the APAC region. But the ambition is much broader than traditional sponsorship.

Wilson is building a more connected consumer proposition linking equipment, apparel, footwear, athletes, storytelling, events, retail and experience. Strategic partnerships will play an increasingly important role in bringing that proposition to life.

THE ROLE

Build Wilson's strategic partnership ecosystem across APAC and turn those partnerships into consumer, brand and commercial growth.

This is not a conventional sponsorship role. As APAC Partnerships Director, you will shape how Wilson uses strategic partnerships to accelerate its transformation from a predominantly equipment and wholesale-led business into a broader, consumer-facing brand spanning product, apparel, retail, digital, ecommerce, content and experience.

The remit begins with tennis, where Wilson sees significant opportunity to build deeper connections with consumers through major tournaments, events, governing bodies, athletes and the broader tennis ecosystem. However, the role extends across APAC and the full breadth of Wilson's sporting portfolio.

Operating with significant autonomy, you will help determine where Wilson should play, identify the partnerships and platforms that matter, and build the relationships capable of creating genuine strategic value.

This is not simply about securing rights. You will create the strategy that turns partnership assets into meaningful consumer engagement, stronger brand relevance and measurable commercial return.





The role requires the ability to influence and align stakeholders across Australia, the broader APAC region and Wilson's global headquarters in Chicago - bringing together local market opportunity with global brand ambition.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

We are seeking a strategic partnership leader who can operate at the intersection of tennis, sport, brand and commerce. You may come from a rights holder, brand, agency or sporting property, but you must be able to think beyond the deal itself: how does a partnership create consumer demand, strengthen brand relevance and deliver commercial return?

Role-Specific Competencies & Experience:

- Strong knowledge of the tennis industry and ecosystem is highly desirable. Genuine relationships across Tennis Australia, ATP, WTA, tournaments, athletes or agencies would be a significant advantage.
- Commercially rigorous, with the ability to define and measure ROI across brand and business outcomes including awareness, engagement, acquisition, traffic, conversion and sales.
- Proven ability to negotiate complex partnerships and then translate rights into integrated activation across product, players, retail, digital, content, ecommerce and consumer experience.
- Proven history of building, negotiating and commercialising strategic partnerships or comparable complex commercial opportunities.
- Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Demonstrated project management experience and familiarity with relevant project management tools.
- Solid supervisory and leadership capability.
- Excellent interpersonal, cross-cultural and negotiation skills, with a demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with business partners,



governing bodies, suppliers and customers.
- Relevant experience within a brand, sports organisation, partnership, marketing or related commercial environment.
- University/College degree or above.
- Ability and willingness to travel across the APAC region.
- Fluent spoken and written English; Japanese or Mandarin is advantageous.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR We are looking for an entrepreneurial, commercially minded partnership leader with genuine credibility in tennis or a closely related sporting ecosystem.

The ideal candidate combines the ability to build senior relationships and unlock strategic opportunities with the brand-side mindset to turn those opportunities into consumer demand and measurable commercial return.

We are particularly interested in people who sit at the intersection of major sports partnerships, brand activation and consumer growth.

Potential backgrounds may include:

- Tennis ecosystem executives.
- Major sports sponsorship, commercial partnership or rights-holder leaders with strong activation capability.
- Sports marketing and partnership agency leaders who connect brands, rights and execution.
- Brand-side sports, consumer, apparel, footwear or lifestyle marketing leaders with partnership expertise.
- Exceptional candidates who combine deep sporting ecosystem relationships and credibility with brand, retail, consumer or commercial experience.

SYNTONY SEARCH & ADVISORY For a copy of the Candidate Brief or a confidential discussion regarding this opportunity, please contact Josie Lahey on +61 478 803 255 or [email protected]. To express your interest, please submit your curriculum vitae together with an executive cover letter outlining your motivation and alignment with the opportunity to [email protected] by Monday 14 September 2026.

Syntony Search & Advisory is an executive search and advisory firm specialising in the sport, entertainment and lifestyle sectors, we have been exclusively retained to lead this confidential executive search for Wilson Sporting Goods.

📌 APAC Partnerships Director - Wilson (Melbourne)
🏢 Syntony Search u0026 Advisory
📍 Melbourne