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The SponsorshipX Podcast
Heineken's Sponsorship Savant - Annamaria Fuzy
Season 2, Ep. 10
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What does it mean to “be like water”?
That was the advice Annamaria Fuzy received from a manager early in her professional journey. Without losing sight of the end goal, Annamaria learned to go with the flow and navigate the unexpected circumstances that come up in sponsorship marketing.
What does it really take to build partnerships that last, across sport, music, and culture?
In this episode of SponsorshipX Changemakers, Mark Harrison sits down with Annamaria Fuzy, Global Sponsorships at Heineken, a global marketing leader with 15+ years in FMCG and a career shaped by some of the world’s most influential passion points. From significant sports properties to cultural platforms, Annamaria has spent her career at the intersection of brand, partnership, and relevance.
Get ready to hear about how she believes that sponsorship marketing is the perfect opportunity to use both the left and right side of your brain. She caught the bug for this industry in secondary school, working in hospitality at major events. The brands present and their motivations for participating in the action were intriguing and inspired her to learn more. It was from those early days of earning some money as a teenager that sparked her interest in this business.
This podcast takes you through three chapters of Annamaria’s career, including a stint in purchasing. Her comments on this period of her career may surprise you as they defy your expectations of what a procurement expert would focus on.
As global as Heineken’s sponsorship footprint is, this podcast takes another twist when Annamaria discusses the brand’s most recent investment in Padel. This fast-growing sport, its culture, and its participants represent a new approach for the brand giant in sponsorship, yet one that is still rooted in a simple strategic truth. A strategic truth that is non-negotiable for any Heineken partnership.
Our host Mark Harrison “loved this conversation because not only did Annamaria dive deep and clearly into strategy, but she also shared essential leadership lessons and the people from whom she has learned them throughout her career”
Pour yourself a beverage, sit back, and enjoy this conversation where the water and the beer are flowing.
🎧 Listen to SponsorshipX Podcast - Changemakers, Season 2 Featuring Annamaria Fuzy, Global Sponsorships at Heineken.
Welcome to The SponsorshipX Podcast—your year-round source for powerful conversations at the intersection of brand marketing, partnerships, and purpose. As part of our ongoing mission to advocate for the sponsorship industry, this podcast brings together the brightest minds, boldest ideas, and most impactful stories from across the global sponsorship landscape.
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