Iciri Rai

Iciri Rai’s pursuit of excellence in sports began early, leading to a remarkable professional tennis career. Over the years, she has achieved notable singles and doubles rankings in the Women’s Tennis Association, amassing more than 47 titles at the state, national, international, and collegiate levels. Her dedication and talent established her as one of the top junior tennis players in India.

Originally from Bangalore, India, Rai spent her formative years in Italy before moving to the United States. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Florida, where she made history as the captain of the university’s first-ever Big East Conference-winning women’s tennis team. Her professional tennis background paved the way for influential roles at the United States Tennis Association, the John McEnroe Tennis Foundation, and the Super Bowl Planning Committee, among others. Today, Rai draws on her extensive experience to share insights on the high-pressure decision-making strategies in sports and their applications in corporate environments.

Following these assignments, Rai became the Global Marketing Director at Leverage Agency in New York, managing high visibility brand & rights holders campaigns, events, and partnerships including Jimmy Kimmel Live & Amazon, Intel and Lady Gaga at the Grammys, Turkish Airlines at Madison Square Garden, Sketchers and American Pharoah amongst others.

Rai later relocated to Singapore to become Senior Account Director at Octagon Sports & Entertainment, where she was responsible for overseeing major global accounts and business development efforts for the APAC region. Currently, Rai is the Regional Head of Sponsorships at Mastercard Asia Pacific, leading the company’s portfolio of sports and entertainment sponsorships, brand partnerships and events, including the Australian Open, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rugby World Cup, Lionel Messi, UEFA, Riot, League of Legends, Naomi Osaka and other global sports and entertainment talent and properties.

With expertise spanning partnerships and sponsorships in entertainment, the integration of fintech in sports, and effective fan engagement, Rai offers strategic insights that resonate across industries. She emphasizes the importance of glocalisation in marketing strategies and advocates for the growth, impact, and power of women’s sports.

Passionate about empowering the next generation of female leaders, Rai actively promotes the vital role sports play in fostering leadership skills and resilience. Through initiatives like Magic Bus and WISE, she champions female empowerment programs that illustrate the correlation between athletic prowess and corporate success.