NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company, has appointed Brad Keywell to its Board of Directors, effective today.
Keywell, an accomplished entrepreneur with deep expertise in technology and artificial intelligence, brings significant experience in innovation and industry disruption to the Board. He has co-founded and led multiple companies, including Groupon, Echo Global Logistics, MediaOcean, and Uptake Technologies, where he is currently Founder and Executive Chairman. He is the 2019 EY World Entrepreneur of the Year, only the third US entrepreneur ever to receive the global honor, in addition to being named the overall 2018 EY Entrepreneur of the Year in the United States. Keywell also established the global Chicago Ideas conference, created the WNDR Museum, and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He received his Juris Doctorate with Honors from the University of Michigan Law School.
Ariel Emanuel, CEO, TKO, said: “Brad’s curiosity, creativity, and leadership will be an asset for management and shareholders alike. Now more than ever, tech is intertwined with sports and entertainment. Brad’s expertise in launching and scaling first-of-their-kind companies will strengthen our ability to guide the growth of WWE and UFC, unlocking even more value creation.”
Brad Keywell said: “TKO’s consistent innovation has positioned it at the forefront of sports and entertainment. I look forward to being a part of its continued expansion and helping TKO optimize the fan experience and leverage emerging technologies.”
The addition of Keywell, as well as today’s appointment of Dwayne Johnson to TKO’s Board of Directors, will increase TKO’s board from 11 to 13 members.
Brad Keywell Background
Bradley A. Keywell, age 54, is the founder of Uptake Technologies, Inc., an artificial intelligence software company that provides actionable insight to industrial operators, where he has served as Executive Chairman since 2015 and, from 2015 through 2019, was its Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Keywell is also the founder of SkillHero Corp., a workforce technology company focused on skilled trades and vocational training, where he has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since its inception in 2023. He is the founder of 1+1 Ventures, a business incubation, growth capital investment, and acquisition entity.
Mr. Keywell is a co-founder of Lightbank, an umbrella company for several venture capital and growth capital investing entities and, from 2012 through 2020, was its co-Managing Director. Mr. Keywell has founded or co-founded several other companies, including MediaOcean LLC (f/k/a MediaBank), a provider of integrated media procurement technology, where he served as the founding Chief Executive Officer; Echo Global Logistics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ECHO), where he served as founding Chief Executive Officer and was Chairman of the Board of Directors; and Groupon, Inc. (Nasdaq: GRPN), where he also served on its board of directors.
In 2019, he was globally honored as the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year and was previously awarded the overall EY Entrepreneur of the Year in the United States. He was also named to the Technology Pioneer Council by the World Economic Forum and was inducted into the Chicago Innovation Hall of Fame. Mr. Keywell is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Mr. Keywell received a B.B.A. degree from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and a J.D. degree with honors from the University of Michigan Law School.
About TKO
TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company that comprises UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and WWE, an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment. Together, our organizations reach more than 1 billion TV households in approximately 170 countries, and we organize more than 350 live events year-round, attracting over one million fans. TKO is majority owned by Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR), a global sports and entertainment company.
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