Sachem alum and sports marketing power player Laura Gentile has been named to the World’s Most Influential Chief Marketing Officer list by Forbes.
Gentile, wrapping up a 20-year journey at ESPN as EVP of Marketing and founder of ESPN-W, was honored at a ceremony in Cannes, France.
She is an inductee of the Sachem Athletic Hall of Fame, Sachem Hall of Honor and Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame.
Gentile has influence over and responsibility for the health of the iconic, global sports brand, and leads the marketing for all brands, platforms, shows, and events. Gentile’s remit includes oversight of all of ESPN’s Marketing’s creative output, media strategy, spending and budgeting, and fan engagement. As a result, Gentile helps drive the marketing, advertising and promotion for critical league partners including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and F1 helping shape and grow the audiences for these brands as well. As audience’s continue migrating to streaming, as younger audience consumption is increasingly less game-driven and more “highlight” based, Gentile’s oversight of ESPN’s ecosystem of digital assets—from ESPN+ to their app—are increasingly important growth engines for both the company and its network of partners.