Inaugural World Sports Economy Summit Launches in London: A New Era of International Collaboration and Digital Innovation

LONDON, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The inaugural World Sports Economy Summit (WSES) launched in London, marking a historic milestone as a premier international forum at the intersection of sport, finance and technology.

The summit took place during an extraordinary period in the global sporting calendar, as both the World Snooker Championships and the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championship Finals reached their culmination across the UK. 

Hosted by World Sports Economy (WSE) Ltd and organised by Branding Shanghai, the summit is supported by the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), with the official backing from the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), and Table Tennis England (TTE). The Summit was held in partnership with leading enterprises including Shanghai Jiushi Group, Li-Ning, DHS, and DL Holdings.

Opening remarks were delivered by Jasmine Pang, Founder and Chair at Branding Shanghai and Executive Director of the World Sports Economy Summit, followed by addresses from Rupert Daniels, Director of Services at DBT; WANG Qi, Minister at the Chinese Embassy in the UK; Peter Burnett OBE, Chief Executive at CBBC; and Petra Sörling, IOC Member and President of ITTF.

The morning sessions explored the digital transformation of sports assets, with Michael Gu Jiqing (Vice-President of Shanghai Jiushi Group and President of Shanghai Shenhua FC) sharing expertise on managing premier properties such as the F1 Chinese Grand Prix. This digital evolution was further considered by Li Yi (MIGU Video), Zhe Ji (Red Lantern) and David Murray (World Women's Snooker). A standout highlight was the Table Tennis Centenary Panel, featuring LOU Shihe (General Manager of Double Happiness and President of Shanghai Table Tennis Association) and "Ping Pong Diplomat" Alan Hydes, reflecting on the sport's power to unite communities.

In the afternoon, the global expansion of snooker took centre stage following Chinese player Wu Yize's historic victory in Sheffield. A fireside chat with Jason Ferguson (Chairman of WPBSA and Director of World Snooker Tour) and snooker legend Ding Junhui discussed his role in mentoring a new generation of Chinese talents and the sport's future.

The summit also addressed the intersection of high finance and sporting lifestyle, with Crystal Jiang (Co-founder of DL Holdings and Owner of One Carmel) delivering a keynote on family legacy and sportsmanship, supported by insights from Schubert Lou (CEO of Trip.com), Sophia Shen (Shanghai Equestrian Association), David Guigaz and Sarah Lewis OBE OLY (Chair of GB Olympians Association).

The event concluded with a commercial roadmap for 2026 and beyond, featuring Shane Campbell (VP of Strategy & Growth at IMG), Darren Eales, Aidan Mullally (The Premier League), Sarah Montague (Microsoft) and Rajan Kapur (Formula 1).

The WSE Summit 2026 has established a clear trajectory for the future of global sport, illustrating how British heritage and Asian innovation together drive a resilient global sports economy.

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