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Published
23rd Mar, 2023

First Raise Your Game Guest Speakers Announced

We're delighted to announce that Arsenal Chief Executive Vinai Venkatesham and Arsenal Academy Manager Per Mertesacker will be among the guest speakers at Raise Your Game 2023.

Having both joined the Gunners in 2011, Vinai and Per have 24 years of experience between them in a number of roles at Arsenal, so they know what it takes to succeed in a diverse organisation at elite level.

We can't wait to hear from Per, who has taken his talents as a World Cup and FA Cup winner into an Academy Manager role where he has helped develop the likes of Arsenal wingers Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe. 

And the insight from Vinai's journey from Oxford University to Commercial Manager at the London 2012 Olympics, and then to the CEO of the current Premier League leaders will prove invaluable to everyone at the Raise Your Game National Conference at Emirates Stadium on 27th April 2023. 

The conference will be a unique opportunity for the hundreds of attendees to hear from Vinai, Per and other guest speakers about how they've built networks, dealt with setbacks and pushed themselves to the next level.

Attendees will also receive one-to-one mentoring from a wide range of industry experts, with previous participants going on to secure roles at all levels of the game, including at top football clubs and leading media outlets. 

If you would like to attend this year's event, the application process is still open, but be quick as the deadline is on Monday 27th March 2023. 

In addition to a World Cup win for Germany in 2014, Per played 104 times for his country and won three FA Cups with Arsenal, having been signed from Werder Bremen by former manager Arsene Wenger. 

After retiring from playing in 2018, he moved into his current Academy Manager role, developing a clear vision to build Strong Young Gunners who can make their mark in the game and beyond. 

Vinai began his role as Arsenal Chief Executive in 2020, but joined the club in 2011 as part of its commercial team, moving on to become Managing Director in 2018. 

Previously, he forged a career in the City of London, and has also been a Non-Executive Director at the British Olympic Association and the London 2017 World Athletics Championships. 

Both Per and Vinai have taken different routes to the same place, but we're eager to hear more from them at their Emirates home, and how others can follow in their footsteps. 

To register your interest to exhibit at this year’s Conference, or for any other questions, please email RYG@road3.co.uk.