23. Brandon Snow

Brandon Snow is the Managing Director of Commercial for Formula 1. He is responsible for utilizing and enhancing commercial opportunities within Formula 1’s rights across Race Promotion, Partnerships, Licensing, Gaming, Esports, and other commercial areas and overseeing marketing for the organization.

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He was the Global Head of Esports for Activision Blizzard before he joined Formula 1. He was responsible for developing, operating, and commercializing Esports products, including the Call of Duty League and the Overwatch League.

Brandon spent ten years at the NBA, holding several senior-level positions, including SVP of team marketing and business operations, SVP of global marketing partnership at NBA China, and Senior Director of international marketing partnerships. He also gained extensive marketing and brand-building experience while working abroad for global brands such as McDonald’s and Volkswagen and with the worldwide advertising agency network DDB. He began his career at Tracey Locke Advertising.

Snow, who started in April 2022, is based between N.Y. and London and reports to President and CEO Stefano Domenicali. He oversees sponsorship, licensing, esports and marketing, and he works closely with other departments at F1, such as media rights, digital and event promoters. Sean Bratches, the mastermind of the Netflix “Drive to Survive” series who left F1 in ’20, previously held the same title at F1, but Bratches’ role did not have the same scope as this new position. Bratches oversaw sponsorship, marketing and communications. F1’s former Global Director of Marketing and Communications, Ellie Norman, also left the organization.

Brandon Snow joins F1 when it is spiking in popularity in America. U.S.-based companies are pouring into the series, and F1’s hire reflects that as Snow is experienced with American brands. For example, he led negotiations to bring on blue-chip partners like Coca-Cola while working with Activision Blizzard Esports.

While he is new to F1, Snow said that it is getting easier to sell the property to U.S. CMOs, given its rise in relevance here. Snow: “The door is easier to open, but then the conversations immediately go to, ‘How can we build an interesting partnership?’ because we’re a little bit of the new face on the block, and we have a unique global technology story.” He said F1’s main marketing pillars are innovation, inclusivity and sustainability, and it’s working to craft sponsorship initiatives that align with those goals.