Professor Simon Shibli

BSc, PhD, ACMA

Pronouns: He/him
  • Professor of Sport Management

Research groups and centres

Publications
ORCiD Google Scholar
Simon Shibli

Simon Shibli graduated from Loughborough University in 1985 with a 2.i in Physical Education, Sport Science and Recreation Management. After working in the private and charitable sectors as a facility manager, Simon embarked on an academic career at the University of Sheffield and then Sheffield Hallam University.  He studied at Sheffield Business School to become a qualified management accountant with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in 2003 before completing a PhD on the basis of published works at Sheffield Hallam University in 2015. Simon’s career has been characterised by working on contract research projects across the UK and internationally using techniques drawn from finance and economics to solve real world problems for clients. He is always happy to discuss potential collaborations with clients new and old.

As a qualified management accountant, Simon Shibli works to the principle of doing research that enables planning, decision making and control using methods that are suitably robust. His main research interests are in the applied use of finance and economics to research questions in sport and leisure. Simon prides himself with two key strengths. First, he uses technical management accounting rigour and common sense, in equal measure, to deliver credible and practical solutions for clients. Second, he is a clear communicator of complex information that is pitched appropriately for the intended audience. As part of his commitment to demystifying aspects of Sport Management, Simon has used his research to write textbooks demonstrating basic principles that are brought to life by examples drawn from his research. Simon's ethos is that managerial excellence and academic excellence are not mutually exclusive. He is in regular demand as a speaker at national and international conferences and is a widely published author of both textbooks and peer reviewed papers with a variety of collaborators from across the world of sport management.

Simon welcomes approaches from potential PhD students, notably in the fields of elite sport development systems; the economic and social impacts of major sporting and cultural events; participation in sport and physical activity; performance of public sport and leisure centres; and volunteering.

Simon Shibli is outward looking and always interested in responding to demand-led projects for external clients. Previous clients include: UK Sport and the four Home Country Sports Councils, National Governing Bodies of sport, and local authorities.  Commercial partnerships include working for The R&A, Trivandi, 4Global, and St Andrews Links Trust.

In 2021 Simon was appointed as a sub-panel member for Unit of Assessment 24 (Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism) in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise. He has been reappointed for REF 2029 and joins two other Loughborough Colleagues in this prestigious role.

Simon is an editorial board member for European Sport Management Quarterly and the Journal of Global Sport Management. In addition, he conducts regular ad hoc reviews for many other peer-reviewed journals.

Simon is committed to developing emerging talent in Sport Management by enabling new researchers to reach their full potential. To this end, he is currently chair of the jury for the European Sport Management Quarterly New Researcher Award, which is held annually at the European Association for Sport Management conference.

Featured publications

Peer Reviewed Papers

Books / Research Monographs

  • De Bosscher, V., Shibli, S., Smismans, S. and Weber, A. (2024) Paris 2024 Evaluation of the elite sport expenditures and success in 17 nations, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, ISBN 9789493409033
  • De Bosscher, V., Shibli, S. and Van Roey, A. (2021) Tokyo 2020 Evaluation of the elite sport expenditures and success in 14 nations, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, ISBN 9789072325112.
  • De Bosscher, V., Shibli, S., Westerbeek, H. and van Bottenburg M. (2015) Successful Elite Sport Policies: An International Comparison of the Sports Policy Factors Leading to International Sporting Success (SPLISS 2.0) in 15 Nations, Meyer and Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd, Maidenhead.
  • Schwarz, E., Hall, S. and Shibli, S. (2010, 2015, 2020 and 2025/6) Sport facility operations management: A global perspective, Butterworth-Heinemann (4th edition), Oxford, England.
  • De Bosscher, V., De Knop, P., van Bottenburg, M., Bingham, J. and Shibli, S. (2008), The Global Sporting Arms Race: Sports Policy factors Leading to International Success, Meyer & Meyer, Brussels.
  • Gratton, C., Jung, B., Shibli, S., Szemborska, E. and Taylor, P. (1995) Zarządzanie i marketing w kulturze i rekcreacji, Semper, Warsaw.
  • Shibli, S. (1994) Leisure Manager's Guide to Budgeting and Budgetary Control, Longman, London.