Charlene Gravesande

I’ve been in the industry for over 16 years. I started off as a production runner, making teas and coffees but I always had the ambition of being a Sports Producer.

After three years as a runner, I was promoted to Production Junior before taking up multiple roles including an F1 Producer. In my previous organisation I was and still remain the only Black woman Producer in the F1 department. Last year, I left to start my own sports media production company. My new venture is the first of it’s kind, specialising in thought-provoking content in Football and Formula One. My mission is to tell stories from the lens of underrepresented communities that aren’t being told in mainstream media. Creating a safe space for individuals in sports to be unapologetically themselves through the art of storytelling. My career contributions include producing live content at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021, which won a BAFTA. I’ve also been named on the Premier League Football Black List in 2020, crowned the winner of the Game Changer in Sport Businesswoman of the Year in 2023. I had my most successful year in 2024 after winning three awards, including being named on the Diversity Power List 50 alongside the likes of the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. It’s an honours list of inspirational diverse people driving change in the UK. My leadership and dedication to inclusion have had a significant impact on the sports world, pushing for more diverse and equitable systems.