The Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) is reorganising itself: Katrine Kock Frandsen has been appointed as the new event manager, at the end of March, the Spaniard Alberto Zschiesche was introduced as the new CEO of windsurfing's most important association. Previously, Alberto was Marketing Director at Greenpeace and Strategy Manager at well-known advertising agencies. We asked Alberto about his goals!
Alberto, with Katrine and you taking over the management of the PWA, is this the biggest change in professional windsurfing since the PWA was founded out of the PBA?
To be honest, I don't have enough knowledge of the PWA's management history to give a definitive answer. I'm sure there have been times of significant change over the years as well. However, this is undoubtedly an important step that solidifies the PWA's transformation process started by the Management Board last year. Reinforcing the management team will help strengthen the PWA's ability to achieve its goal of promoting windsurfing.
How long did you think about applying for the job?
One second!
Pleas tell us briefly about your windsurfing background!
I've been a completely addicted windsurfer since I was 15. Lots of passion, not so much talent! Since I live far from the sea in Madrid, we have to travel quite a bit, but the advantage is being central, so most of the peninsula's spots are within reach. Tarifa has always been my go-to place. In recent years, I also sail as much as possible in Murcia, Denia (Paquebote and thermals in summer), and Almerimar.
Have you been involved in professional windsurfing before?
For the past year, I've been volunteering as an external advisor for the PWA, but I haven't previously had the chance to work professionally in any windsurfing-related activity. I think this also gives us an opportunity to bring a fresh, enriching perspective from a fan's standpoint.
You have a wide background in advertising and marketing, what will your first tasks as CEO be?
Our mission is to grow windsurfing. This is the PWA's purpose and challenge. To do this, we need to work on several action lines simultaneously: improve the sport's branding, increase the visibility and reach/penetration of everything we do to connect massively with the windsurfing community (and progress with society in general), foster collaboration and unity with other organizations/players in the windsurfing world, consolidate and expand the tour, help professional windsurfers in every way possible, promote the sport at the grassroots level to attract young people/kids, and secure new revenue streams that will allow us to do all of the above.
What do you bring to windsurfing and the PWA from your other jobs?
I hope to apply my strategic thinking and skills in marketing, communication, and management. My experience in managing alliances and my drive to foster teamwork and collaboration in defining and implementing action plans. I also particularly hope to share my environmental background.
This is everyone's work and a team effort!"
Have you already spoken to some of the riders or organisers?
I've had some initial conversations that I hope to explore in more detail in the coming weeks. I believe talking to the riders and organizers is an essential part of our job. Understanding their context, needs, difficulties, and potential opportunities for improvement will be fundamental to achieving our goals. This is everyone's work and a team effort: the riders, the industry, the organizers, other associations, and of course, those of us within the PWA.
Will there be a transition process from the former tour manager over to you and Katrine?
The transition process started last year. Katrine and I joined after it was already underway.
How do you plan to work together with Katrine and the management board?
As a team, by aligning on the mission and strategy, establishing priority action lines, and clearly defining responsibilities to be efficient and operational.
We have many assets. Now we need to package and sell them!"
In most areas, budgets are tight, how do you want to attract new sponsors?
We need to make the sport appealing. As I explained before, portray an exciting image of windsurfing that better reflects the very positive reality of our sport. We need to be able to generate relevance and demonstrate that our sport is an effective platform to grow their brands and achieve their marketing goals. We have many assets: a unique, large, and powerful fan base, an enviable Tour, and one of the most visual, radical, spectacular, versatile sports. The windsurfing culture and lifestyle, the places we enjoy it, the sea, its values are powerful drivers for many brands. Now we need to package it and sell it.
How will windsurfing fans worldwide recognize that there is a new CEO, how will the riders feel that?
I hope they see it as an opportunity to grow the sport and as crucial support from the riders to develop their careers.
Will you attend the events?
Sure, I'll try to go to as many as I can.
Regarding the wave tour, how will the cooperation with the IWT/WWT continue?
What's been accomplished through the collaboration between the IWT and the PWA is exciting. It shows that when we come together, we achieve more. The results are incredible, and I think everyone realizes that. We need to keep working in this direction to strengthen and expand our cooperation.
There were rumours about some tension behind the scenes of the PWA during the last season. What is needed to settle those discussions?
I'm not familiar with this point. I can't offer an opinion on that.
The external perception of windsurfing still does not reflect the reality."
What is your vision for PWA and professional windsurfing?
We are the ultimate watersport, and we're gaining traction in many ways, but the perception of our sport outside of windsurfers (and even among some of them) still doesn't reflect our reality. This needs to change; we have a responsibility to regain windsurfing's momentum with our fans and make the sport vibrant and appealing to the general public once again.
Thank you very much and good luck, Alberto!
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