Mario wrote his master’s thesis during his studies at Loughborough University London about using sport innovation to drive development in central America. He has continued working to achieve his goals in Panama by supporting the development of organised sporting activities.
Mario is passionate about building up communities and involving young people in their development. In his business, he has focused on tackling specific local issues including the lack of professional bodies for many sports and increasing engagement with women and girls. He said:
“See sport from every possible perspective not only high performance, not only major markets or wealthy countries. Sport is a global asset that can help societies move forward in areas such as education, health, sustainability, technology, and community development.”
At Loughborough, he was able to interview senior government ministers and work on real case studies to understand decision making at a high level in sports businesses.
“Loughborough changed my life in a very positive way. It taught me that I’m capable of taking on the biggest challenges and dreaming beyond what I thought was possible.”, he added.
He has worked with Nike and was invited by the Panama government to help organise a sports business summit.
Long term, he aspires to become the Minister of Sports for Panama and create structural changes in education, sustainability and youth development. He wants to eventually make an impact on the wider sports industries in central and Latin America.
“Just like an athlete believes in a dream that sometimes feels impossible, we also need to believe that through our knowledge, creativity, and passion we can help transform the world through sport.”
Well done, Mario.