Mayi Cruz Blanco, Senior Programme Manager of the Athlete Career Programmes for the Adecco Group since 2018, is originally from Cuba, has been working in Europe for most of her career within international organizations. Her areas of expertise include global programme development, creative leadership, business-innovation, international relations, and campaigning..

Mayi has worked worldwide in different roles ranging from: community coach, to professor and facilitator to international executive, consultant and motivational speaker. She has also covered a diverse range of sport organizations, from the IOC, to World Archery, to FIFA where she has worked for the prior decade; thriving women’s football development globally.

During her time leading women’s football development at FIFA, the growth of the women’s game increased exponentially becoming a core pillar of the organisation’s strategy. She oversaw a portfolio of development programmes, training, management and people’s development projects and led promotional initiatives and global campaigns. Her team’s efforts reached 190 nations and 000’s of individuals.

Mayi has a passion for sports that comes from being an athlete since a young age. Thus, supporting athlete’s advancement and striving to improve their lives on an inclusive basis; is an endeavour she has undertaken throughout her career. Understanding that sport is a strong development foundation; she has worked on designing customized programmes for athletes, in particular in the field of leadership development that aligns with career development strategies.

Graduated from the Sport Sciences University in Cuba, she has also an International Master Degree in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport (www.cies.ch) and Creative Leadership & Business Innovation (www.thnk.org). Mayi speaks Spanish, English, French, Italian and German.

An advocate for diversity and inclusion, Mayi believes that equality is not the end; but a mean to advance development and business.