The appointment of La Liga’s new Africa General Manager was announced at two events organized by the league on September 12 at The Venue in Morningside, Johannesburg, and on September 14 at the Young Blood Gallery in Cape Town.
In Africa, La Liga teams are present at the Celta Vigo academy in Evaton (South Africa) and Sebokeng (South Africa), the RCD Espanyol academy in Johannesburg, the Real Betis academy in Harare (Zimbabwe) and the FC Barcelona academy in Lusaka (Zambia). The first LALIGA camps organized in South Africa in 2021 and 2022 saw 300 young boys and girls take part alongside 70 coaches. In 2023, these camps are set to expand to welcome over 200 junior footballers.
Speaking about his new role, Tresor Penku said, “I am honored to be leading LALIGA’s activities in Africa. Our aim is not only to extend the reach of Spanish soccer, but also to empower local communities through the beautiful game. We are committed to forging strong links with our corporate partners, media and industry players while nurturing local talent.”
Natalie Barlow, Marketing and Sales Director for LALIGA in South Africa, emphasized LALIGA’s commitment to forming strong business partnerships with media and stakeholders, saying, “Our collaboration with various partners is crucial to achieving our common goals in Africa. We believe in the transformative power of soccer and its ability to bring about positive change”.
LaLiga Global Network
Prior to his appointment, Trésor Penku was, since 2018, Head of International Business Development for Liga in Central Africa. Based in Cameroon, he worked as part of the LaLiga Global Network. His responsibilities included maintaining relationships with key local stakeholders, creating initiatives around soccer and communication, particularly digital.
Using soccer to create social change is a key objective for LaLiga. To this end, as a LaLiga delegate, Trésor Penku has, among other things, initiated the “Championnat Baka Sans Alcool” tournament, held each year in the forest region of southern Cameroon; the “Fans’ Party”, on the occasion of LaLiga derbies, during which hundreds of people take part in family games and enjoy virtual reality viewing experiences, before the matches are broadcast.
Trésor Penku also involved local broadcast partners Canal+ and LaLiga’s anti-piracy team, who offered their expertise in protecting audiovisual content.
Prior to joining La Liga in 2018, Trésor Penku worked for L’Oréal in Spain. He holds a Master’s degree in sports management from ESERP Business & Law School in Barcelona, Spain; a marketing diploma from the same institution and completed a course in sport, marketing and sponsorship at Barça Innovation Hub Universitas.
