A powerhouse in sports business, Two Oceans Marathon Race Director Debra Barnes is eager to use her extensive knowledge and experience to nurture and develop the next generation.
Barnes is passionate about the advancement of women in sport beyond the playing field as she has established Ignite Talents Lab and Women in Sport Summit SA to amplify the interests of women in sport and celebrate the game-changers.
She says the South African youth inspires her as she enjoys seeing the dream chasers, entrepreneurs and history-makers pursue what sets their soul on fire.
Over the years, Barnes has sat on many boards and says women have been brought in for token representation, asked about their opinions only on certain matters, whereas discussions on business and financial issues are kept within the “Boys Club.”
She hopes that with more women taking on the role of breaking into these spaces that this narrative will change.
Speaking with Celine Abrahams, Barnes chats about the recently concluded Two Oceans Marathon and reveals overcoming from career challenges.
Debra, great to catch up with you! The recently concluded Two Oceans Marathon returned after two years- What it was like to get the event together, especially with Covid-19 regulations still in place?
I won’t lie, it was tough! The past two years have been incredibly challenging for everyone. For runners not being able to do what they love, it has been tough. Running is the perfect antidote for the stresses of life and we know how much more stressful these past two years have been.
To be able to host the world’s most beautiful marathon this year required out of the box thinking and the ability to find unique solutions to unique challenges. Hosting an event of this magnitude in a Covid environment is no easy feat, and whilst it has impacted our organization tremendously, the accolades must go to the many industry professionals, the small businesses, entrepreneurs, suppliers and service providers and their staff whose commitment and tireless efforts over the past year have made it happen.
For the Two oceans Marathon organisation, not being able to host an event for two years has been devastating. There is an entire ecosystem that is supported by the Two Oceans Marathon, and other events of this magnitude. So, to be able to come back with such a spectacular showcase of running, must be one of the highlights of my career.
In February, Totalsports entered into a three-year agreement as title sponsors. Please tell us about the partnership and the importance of having Totalsports on board?
The partnership with Totalsports is such a wonderful fit for us. We are incredibly proud to be associated with a such a prestigious and well-loved brand, and one that is as invested in running as we are.
The partnership is about not only enhancing the runner experience, but also making running accessible to all; encouraging the next generation of runners and enticing would-be runners to get off the couch.
What was a highlight for you after the conclusion of the Marathon?
A 3rd consecutive win by Gerda Steyn in the Women’s Ultra Marathon and breaking a 30-year-old course record, must go down as one of the most exciting moments during my time at the Two Oceans Marathon.
But it’s also the smiles on everyone’s tired faces at the end of the day, that says, “We pulled off a spectacular event that South Africa can be proud of, and one which will always be, the world’s most beautiful marathon, not only for the beautiful scenic route, but also for the beautiful friendships forged and moments shared when you run the Two Oceans Marathon.”
Let’s get to know more about you. Please tell us about your journey in sports business and where it all began for you.
I grew up in a sporting family, and in an era when every child played sport and lifelong friendships were formed through sports. I spent several years in education, and of course was the Phys Ed teacher. Being in sport and training young athletes was empowering and inspiring, and this spurred me on to further my studies in Sports Management and Marketing. I worked at some of the top Sports Marketing Agencies, Octagon SA and Openfield SA, where I managed several big sponsorship portfolios including Engen Soccer and Cycling, as well as the Mastercard sponsorship of an IPL Cricket Team. As the Global Events Director of the Gary Player Invitational Global Series, I managed the events in New York, London, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, and Sun City.
The Business of Sport has always captured my imagination and I completed a Degree in Sports Management and Marketing. Being passionate about the advancement of women in sport beyond the playing field, I established and launched Ignite Talent Lab and Women in Sport Summit SA, to advance the interests of women in sport and celebrate sports gamechangers, on and off the field of play.
In my role as Race Director of the Two Oceans Marathon since 2019, I am responsible for the hosting of the annual event and other events during the year. I oversee all race organising functions and drive the business strategy, commercial and strategic partnerships.
During the early stages of your career, what were some of your toughest challenges and how did you overcome them?
1. “Boardroom bullying is real” – I was told “you speak like a girl”. I was asked in the middle of a meeting ‘is this lunch?’ These are two of my enduring memories of being told (without being told) that you must know your place . Of course, I raised my ‘girl’ eyebrows, bit my lip and just carried on. My strategy is this, and I tell everyone who ask me, and my staff:
2. “Know your stuff” – When you go into a boardroom or into any meeting, KYS…no-one can challenge you, undermine you or even scare you, when you know your stuff.
3. “Believe you know your stuff” – Your biggest supporter is YOU! The bottom line is, who is going to challenge you, bully you, try to minimise your knowledge, insight, experience, contribution, when they see that you know your stuff? If you don’t show that you KYS, you give away your power.
We know women are under-represented when it comes to engaging on boardroom matters: What has the experience been like for you over the years?
I have sat on a few Boards in the past decade, and in all appointment, it was about token representation. You are asked your opinion only on certain matters (mostly soft issues like PR and End of Year Functions), whereas discussions on business and financial matters are kept within the “Boys Club.”
Instead of wasting time trying to change the mind-set, my approach was simply to show them through my actions, knowledge, experience and insights how much I can contribute to furthering the aims of the organisation; how my specialist skills could benefit the organisation.
By taking this approach, I spent less time trying to convince the rest of the Board of my skills and experience, I merely showed them but also pointed out their bias.
In a matter of 3 months, I was able to develop a sponsorship strategy for the organisation, upskill the team who were responsible for sponsorship management and make a real contribution to the organisation by sharing my professional expertise and skill and securing key sponsorships along the way.
If I am hosting a Board Meeting (as I do these days), I never serve tea, coffee, snacks. I get my team to set it up ahead of the meeting, and it was self-service for all.
We can unteach bad habits and undo stereotypical behaviour and be unapologetic about it.
What do you think needs to change in order to see more women feature in boardrooms and head up sponsorship positions?
I believe more women need to be profiled, featured, quoted in business and brand strategy campaigns and have equal opportunity to become spokespersons for major corporates and especially sports organisations. The appointment of men as Chairpersons and CEO’s of major sporting bodies is a blight on our collective commitment to equality.
The approach to appointments to key positions should not be different for men and women, it’s about qualifying criteria and fit for the role, based on experience, expertise, ability and passion.
The concept of sponsorship being a “Boys Club” must be eradicated. Corporates must take responsibility for the ongoing recycling of males in these roles. A deeper look into the growing economic power of women who play, watch and organise sport in South Africa will enlighten them.
Apart from the Two Oceans Marathon, what other projects you have worked on in your career?
- Gary Player Invitational Global Series (SA, China, UK, USA, Abu Dhabi)
- Engen Sponsorship : Soccer, Cycling, Motorsport, Basketball
- Business of Sport Breakfast Series (owned)
- TrackGirlz SA Tour
- Women in Sport Summit SA (owned)
- Round the World Yacht Race Cape Town Stopover
- Olympic Bid 2000
What inspires Debra Barnes?
South African youth – the dream-chasers, the entrepreneurs, the gamechangers and history-makers…they are fearless in pursuit of what sets their soul on fire.
This blog was originally posted by Gsport. We do not take ownership of this blog. This is for educational purposes only. To view the original blog post, click here.