Former Topps International General Manager and Portsmouth FC CEO joins London-based company in new role
LONDON, May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartFrame Technologies, the company revolutionizing the way digital images are delivered, protected, and monetized online, is delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Catlin as its new Global Sports and Entertainment Director.
A seasoned executive in the international sports business, Catlin brings more than 20 years of leadership experience to SmartFrame Technologies, having driven commercial growth, strategic partnerships, and operational transformation across some of the biggest names in football, media, and entertainment.
Most recently, Catlin served as General Manager of International Sports and Entertainment at The Topps Company (part of the Fanatics group), where he transformed the brand's international business strategy. During his tenure, he helped to secure and deliver on multi-million-pound partnerships with major rights holders and brands including F1, UEFA, Disney, and Bundesliga, as well as elite football clubs such as Manchester United FC, Paris Saint-Germain FC, FC Barcelona, and Liverpool FC, while also revolutionizing the Topps International business.
Prior to this, Catlin served as CEO and director of Portsmouth FC, where he helped lead the club out of administration, delivered sustained on-pitch success, eliminated over £7 million in debt, and achieved six consecutive years of EBITDA profitability. His community-focused leadership also earned the club multiple EFL Community Club of the Year awards.
In his new role, Catlin will spearhead the company's global sports and entertainment strategy, focusing on building partnerships with clubs, leagues, federations, and media rights holders to help unlock new value and revenue from their images through SmartFrame's unique image-streaming technology.
"Mark has a rare blend of commercial expertise, leadership, and credibility within global sport," said Rob Sewell, CEO of SmartFrame Technologies. "His proven ability to drive growth while navigating complex stakeholder relationships makes him the ideal fit to lead our sports and entertainment strategy."
"I've spent my entire career building businesses, forging partnerships, and developing new ways to create commercial value, most recently across the sports and entertainment ecosystem," says Mark. "I took the decision to join SmartFrame as I truly believe its technology is a game changer for sports and entertainment brands, content owners more broadly, and publishers, both with regard to IP protection and risk-free incremental revenue generation. I'm excited to help accelerate its adoption across the industry."
About SmartFrame Technologies
Founded in 2015, SmartFrame Technologies is a London-based technology provider whose image-streaming platform redefines the standard for online image publishing.
It unites sports brands and other content owners with publishers, advertisers, and online audiences, and ensures that images are delivered in the highest quality with maximum security, clear provenance, and detailed analytics.
Furthermore, through its contextual ad tech component, brands can reach audiences with high-impact, contextually targeted, in-image advertising and sponsorship placements in a way that recognizes the interests of its viewers and simultaneously complies with global privacy regulations.
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