World Football Summit (WFS) (https://WorldFootballSummit.com) is pleased to announce Fernando Carro, CEO of Bayer 04 Leverkusen, as the recipient of the WFS Award for Best Executive in the football industry, presented by Nolan Partners.

The prestigious award recognizes executives who have made significant changes for the benefit of their institution, efficiently utilized resources, and achieved substantial impact relative to their capabilities. Carro's win comes in the wake of Bayer Leverkusen’s remarkable unbeaten season, resulting in its first-ever Bundesliga and winning the DFB-Pokal, a testament to his exceptional leadership and strategic vision."

Fernando Carro reflected on his achievement: “I feel honored and delighted to be rewarded with the “Best Executive Award 2024”. It was quite an amazing journey last season, the result of many years of hard work before. I appreciate that the work behind all this has been recognized by the WFS organization. I am grateful and happy to share this with my colleague Simon Rolfes, with Xabi Alonso and the team, and with the whole Bayer 04 family - because everyone there has been a crucial part of our achievements. As football starts from zero every year, our will now is to maintain the level we reached last year.”

Fernando Carro succeeds Ferran Soriano of City Football Group as the winner of this esteemed award.

Marian Otamendi, CEO at World Football Summit, commented on Carro's achievement: “Ambition, Resilience and Focus are traits Mr. Carro has demonstrated as a leader of Bayer Leverkusen, and these are essential for any football business leader looking to make the industry reach untapped potential."

The award will be presented during the WFS Awards ceremony, hosted by La Junta de Andalucía, on September 18 in Sevilla.

“Under Fernando’s exceptional leadership and strategic vision, Bayer Leverkusen achieved unprecedented success last year, remaining unbeaten in the Bundesliga and securing two of the most prestigious trophies in German football,” said Chad Biagini, President at Nolan Partners. “Fernando’s profound impact on and off the pitch makes him an exceptionally deserving recipient of this year’s World Football Summit Best Executive Award, and we look forward to his future success.”

This recognition underscores World Football Summit's commitment to honoring excellence and innovation in football management. The summit continues to be a premier platform for industry leaders to connect, share insights, and shape the future of the beautiful game.

The World Football Summit Awards gala will be celebrated as part of the eighth edition of WFS Europe on September 18th-19th in Sevilla, a premier gathering of the global football industry. This landmark event is set to bring together over 2,500 football industry professionals and decision-makers from around the world. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from an impressive lineup of speakers, including Italian football legend Giorgio Chiellini, LaLiga President Javier Tebas, Hammad Albalawi (Head of the Saudi Arabia FIFA World Cup™ 2034 bid), and Toni Nadal, among others. WFS Europe is proudly supported by key partners such as Turkish Airlines, Junta de Andalucía, The Football Business Academy, Scoreplay, Meltwater, Radisson Hotel Group, and LaLiga, with additional representation from leading brands and institutions like Deloitte, the British Embassy, and CaixaBank. The event will also welcome representatives from major football organizations and clubs, including the European Club Association, UEFA, Atlético de Madrid, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Sevilla FC, Real Betis Balompié, Liverpool FC, and Juventus FC, alongside hundreds of other influential entities.

WFS Europe truly embodies the convergence of the entire football industry ecosystem, offering unparalleled networking and insights for all attendees. For more information about the WFS Awards and WFS Europe, please visit https://Europe.WorldFootballSummit.com.