SALLY NNAMANI

Sport and capital can be used for good. That conviction drives my work, and it took root long before my career began.

I was born in Nigeria and grew up in New York. My global outlook comes from my father, who turned a 6th grade education into a thriving business: first a clothing store featuring fashion from Europe and Asia, then a travel agency serving business and government leaders. He went to all parts of the world to source apparel. From Bangkok to Indonesia to Italy, it was the norm.

I began my career at the Office of the Permanent Representative of the International Chamber of Commerce to the United Nations. Under the leadership of renowned diplomat Louise Kantrow, I saw firsthand how diplomacy and business acumen can build win-win partnerships across the private sector, civil society and government. That early lesson still shapes how I approach fundraising and partnerships with brands, athletes, governments and high-net-worth individuals, always with an eye toward creating and capturing shared value.

Building partnerships that unlock shared value has been the throughline of my career. In Northern Ireland, I collaborated with the Mid-Ulster Government Council on the Sport & Good Relations initiative. Today, as Chief Partnerships Officer at PeacePlayers International, I lead fundraising and partnerships with athletes and brands. PeacePlayers uses the unifying power of sport to bridge divides and develop youth leaders across some of the world's most divided contexts, from South Africa, the Middle East and Northern Ireland to major U.S. cities.

I also serve as Senior Advisor to 6Africa, an initiative by 17 Asset Management, a holding company that builds investment products across asset classes and drives market development in emerging markets. I hold board and advisory roles with Emerging Founder School by Hustle Fund, the Sport Integrity Global Alliance and Remedy Sport, and I advise early-stage social entrepreneurs and mid-level professionals on visibility and influence strategies that accelerate their careers. I am the co-founder and co-convener of the HERitage Collective, a leadership network closing the gap between access and ambition for African professionals across the continent and the diaspora through curated experiences at major global convenings.

Recognition along the way includes Presidential Leadership Scholar, Aspen Ideas Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations Term Member, French-African Foundation Young Leader 2025 and Stanford GSB LEAD.

Views shared on this site are my own.