Sportradar has appointed of Behshad Behzadi as its Chief Technology Officer and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CTO and CAIO).
Reporting directly to Sportradar’s CEO Carsten Koerl, Behzadi will be tasked with leading the organization’s usage and adoption of AI and cutting-edge technology which Sportradar says will help “drive the company’s future efficiency” and “create significant value for clients and shareholders”.
“We are proud to welcome Behshad, a world-renowned leader in harnessing generative AI and other advanced technologies. His proven track record in developing and commercializing product strategies to accelerate growth and innovation, as well as spearheading initiatives aimed at improving internal operational efficiency, will bolster our leadership position, keeping Sportradar at the forefront of technological advancement,” commented Koerl.
Behzadi has over 20 years of experience as a computer scientist and is recognized for his expertise in algorithms, search ranking, natural language processing, speech recognition, machine learning, and generative AI.
He joined Google Zurich in 2006 and was involved in Google’s AI-first strategy as co-founder of Google Assistant, Google Lens and Google Smart Display.
“I am very excited to join an organization that pushes the boundaries on technology and puts a premium on innovation,” added Behzadi. “I look forward to working alongside Carsten, the rest of the executive management team and their talented group of creators to continue Sportradar’s history of innovation as the Company enters its next exciting chapter.”
Behzadi will begin his role on May 1 and be based in Sportradar’s headquarters in Switzerland.
Sportradar revamps executive team
Behzadi isn’t the only recent addition to Sportradar’s executive team. Last week the company announced the appointment of Craig Felenstein as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Felenstein, who will also report to Koerl, has been tasked with leading the company’s global finance, accounting, and investor relations functions.
“I am excited to work with Carsten and the entire Sportradar team, as well as the Board of Directors, to capitalize on the significant growth opportunities ahead and deliver additional value to our clients, partners, and shareholders,” said Felenstein at the time of the announcement.
He will replace Ger Griffin as CFO and begin his new role on June 1.
