The Sports Summit

Needham Partners joined with Sports Illustrated to create the “China Sports Summit,” in Beijing, timed to coincide with the FORTUNE Global Forum.

This conference brought together China’s sports leaders, experts from around the globe, and CEOs of major companies to explore China’s sports boom and the opportunities it offers multinational companies. The 2008 Beijing Olympics were explored in detail, along with TV and media trends, corporate sponsorships and partnerships.

Participants included Richard D. Parsons, Chairman and CEO, Time Warner Inc.; Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner of the NFL; Terry McDonell, Managing Editor, Sports Illustrated; Liu Peng, Sports Ministry General Secretary, China; Yu Zhifei, Shanghai International Circuit; Li Yuanwei, vice president and secretary general of the CBA; Deng Yaping, winner of four Olympic Gold Medals in table tennis; Herbert Hainer, CEO of Adidas-Saloman; Tony Ponturo, Anheuser-Busch’s vice president of global media; Peter V. Ueberroth, chairman, U.S. Olympic Committee; E.M. Swift, Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated; Ma Guoli, President, CCTV5; Sir Martin Sorrell , Group Chief Executive, WPP; and Michele Guthrie,  CEO, Star Group; Koos Bekker Chief Executive Officer Naspers Ltd.; David Chu, Chairman, Mission Hills Group; Clyde Drexler, Former NBA and Olympics Basketball Star; Rick Dudley, Chief Executive Officer, Octagon Worldwide; Richard Kevan Gosper, Member, International Olympic Committee; Jiang Xiaoyu, Executive Vice President, Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee; Brook Larmer, Author, Operation Yao Ming: Inside China's Great Leap to the NBA;  Li Binghua, Executive Vice President, Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee;  Liu Jingmin, Vice Mayor, City of Beijing; Liu Zhihua, Vice Mayor, Beijing Municipality; Luo Chao Yi, Executive Vice President, Chinese Athletic Association; Jeffrey Lurie, Chairman, CEO and Owner, Philadelphia Eagles; Michael B. McCaskey, Chairman, Chicago Bears Football Club, Inc.; John S. Needham, President, Needham Partners; Shen Xue, Chinese National Figure Skating Team; Adam Silver, President and COO, NBA Entertainment; Sun Jin Fang, Executive Vice President, Chinese Tennis Association; Heidi Ueberroth, Executive Vice President, Global Media Properties and Marketing Partnerships, NBA; Wang Wei, Executive Vice President and Secretary General, Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee;; Xie Yalong, Executive President, Chinese Soccer Association;  Yuan Bin, Deputy Director, Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee; Zhao Hongbo, Chinese National Swimming Team.