Michael Payne Appointed Chair of Volleyball World

Internationally renowned sports marketing expert Michael Payne has been named the new independent chair of Volleyball World, bringing over four decades of experience in the global sports industry.

“Over the past four years, the Volleyball World team has made great progress in taking volleyball to the next level as a global entertainment product,” Payne said. “I have followed this process closely and look forward to working with the team to support volleyball on the next stage of its global growth. It is particularly exciting to join ahead of a thrilling summer of volleyball, with both the Volleyball Nations League and World Championships set to show the very best of the sport on the world stage.”

Fernando Lima, who has served as the founding chair of Volleyball World since its creation in 2021, will retain his position on the board and act as an advisor during the transition period. He is also set to assume a new leadership position within FIVB, heading an initiative to be announced in the coming months.

“This is an exciting and promising moment for volleyball,” Lima said. “I’m extremely proud of the period I served as Chair of the Board of Directors, and I’m confident that with Michael now at the helm, we’ll accelerate our growth even further. Having been part of the FIVB for many years, I look forward to continuing my contribution to the sport—connecting technology, data, and fan interests to help elevate volleyball to new heights.”

As the International Olympic Committee’s first-ever Marketing and Global Broadcast Rights Director, Payne pioneered the Olympic Partner global sponsorship program and played a central role in the Olympic Movement’s commercial transformation.

Following his tenure at the IOC, Payne founded Payne Sports Media Strategies, advising sports organizations including F1, the International Volleyball Federation and CVC Capital Partners, notably as an advisor during CVC’s investment in Volleyball World.