Maikel Oettle, AC Milan‘s Chief Commercial Officer, spoke at the ongoing SFS Football Summit in Riyadh:

“The thing that strikes me the most when I visit this area is the enthusiasm of the people. The Middle East is a central region for us. A year ago, we opened an office in Dubai, and we’ve had a long-standing partnership with Emirates. Globalization means adapting to markets different from the one you operate in, both culturally and commercially. We see ourselves as a global brand, even though our roots are in Italy: we are the top Italian sports brand in the USA, and we have many fans here in Saudi Arabia.”

He added:

“Both regions are important but distinct. The goal is to be tangible and relevant while taking local differences into account, without forgetting the importance of our Italian roots,” as relayed via Milannews.it.

Soon, Milan will host a young footballer for three months at Vismara. This player is coming from a football-themed reality show organized by Serie A in the Asian market… Oettle commented:

“These are the kinds of initiatives we need to pursue. I am German, and in Germany, there has always been great appreciation for Serie A. If we can contribute to the development of football in Saudi Arabia while also scouting talents in the area for our club, I believe it’s a win-win for everyone. I’m very pleased with this initiative and hope that at least one great talent can emerge.”