HEMANT MATAI
New York, NY Open to Relocation *********@*****.*** +1-404-***-**** linkedin.com/in/hemant-matai PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Visionary large-format events executive with 18+ years leading projects, operations, and sponsorships for iconic sports and entertainment experiences across the U.S., India, and global markets. Architected award-winning experiential IPs and BTL strategy for prestigious brands and marquee projects, including Budweiser @FIFA 2022, Lollapalooza India, YouTube Fan Fest. Known for blending bold creative vision with operational rigor, and driving commercial results from strategy through execution. Expert at building high-performing teams, forging and servicing brand partnerships, and launching innovative properties as a hands-on, decisive leader. EXPERIENCE
Independent Event Promoter 2022 - Present
• Licensed and co-produced ‘Ballimaaraan’ (Piyush Mishra) for its first 12-city U.S. tour, attracting 10,000+ attendees, achieving 30% gross profit margin, and becoming the first profitable Indian concert IP in the U.S.
• Produced and managed the first-ever 4-city U.S. tour of musical duo Ajay-Atul, managing a $650,000 P&L, attracting 7,500+ attendees, and delivering a 25% net profit.
• Produced Arijit Singh’s largest North American music concert to date (Spotify’s most followed artist, 2025) - a sold-out 2022 show in Atlanta grossing over $2.5M and drawing 6,500+ attendees.
• Produced a 90s multi-artist concert that grossed over $1M and drew 3,500+ attendees by driving demand for legacy acts via targeted outreach, local brand partnerships, influencer engagement, and sales incentives. Founder and Joint Managing Director 2016 - Present Trinity Entertainment & Strategic Consultants (consulting firm for media, entertainment and culture)
• Launched and scaled Trinity’s core verticals: fierce@Trinity, Trinity Sport Lab, Trinity Content Lab, and Experiential; delivering GTM strategy, brand storytelling, content creation, and market entry solutions.
• Bridged creative vision with commercial impact across projects spanning sport, content, culture, and IP development.
• Led marquee IPs including Lollapalooza India, Nykaaland, and YouTube Fan Fest, and executed brand campaigns for Red Bull, Budweiser, Mastercard, Porsche, Tinder, and Puma.
• Oversaw production and strategy for major cultural and sports events, including managing ground logistics and hospitality ICC T20 World Cups (USA & UAE) and Major League Cricket (USA).
• Helped brands and artists go to market with consumer insight, cultural relevance, and executional excellence. Chief Executive Officer 2017 - 2019
Premier Badminton League – Ahmedabad Smash Masters Steered the launch and operational success of a new franchise in the Premier Badminton League, blending sports strategy, brand building, and commercial performance
• Achieved 85% ROI over two seasons by creating new streams and securing brand partnerships.
• Built a top-4 league team from the ground up through international talent scouting and live auction strategy.
• Garnered $4.78M+ in media value via national PR coverage in over 30+ publications.
• Scaled digital presence to 67K+ followers in 4 months, making it the league’s most followed club; drove 2.37M+ impressions and 75K+ video views across high-performing campaigns on Facebook and Instagram.
• Launched a grassroots badminton program to scout regional talent and build long-term community impact.
• Official spokesperson, representing the club to ensure compliance with league regulations and governance. Head – Marketing, Client Servicing and Projects 2014 - 2016 Procam International (India’s first Sport Marketing and Management Firm) Led marketing initiatives, client engagement, brand partnerships, and on-ground execution for India’s premier sporting properties in distance running, cricket, and powerboat racing
• Directed a multi-functional team to deliver seamless marquee events including the Mumbai Marathon, Delhi Half Marathon, and World 10K Bengaluru
• Secured and managed $4M+ in long-term sponsorship deals.
• Developed brand identity frameworks for properties across Running, Cricket, and P1 Powerboat Racing. 2
• Conceived and executed the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K, East India’s largest distance-running event, with 6,500+ runners and $140K+ raised for charity in its inaugural year.
• Delivered end-to-end project oversight for India’s first powerboat event (P1) and Coca Cola Cricket Cup, the country’s largest grassroots cricket initiative in association with the BCCI. Marketing Manager – Experiential and Retail Strategy 2012 - 2013 Reliance Brands Limited
Led national-level experiential marketing, CRM, and brand activation initiatives for marquee global lifestyle labels.
• Orchestrated record launch of Hamleys Delhi, drawing over 6,000 visitors on opening day.
• Drove a 12% uplift in Superdry sales and 25% increase in footfall through a targeted youth influencer and product seeding campaign.
• Launched and streamlined Diesel's 'Cult' CRM to enhance customer segmentation and engagement, while positioning the brand as a top choice for stylists through a targeted fashion influencer outreach campaign.
• Built India’s first school & college skateboarding program for Quiksilver, activating 150+ campuses.
• Established a pan-India student ambassador network across 100+ colleges to support long-term youth marketing initiatives for relevant brands of the portfolio. National Event Specialist – Brand Experience and Youth Engagement 2010 - 2013 Red Bull
Drove Red Bull’s national event marketing, blending music, sport, and culture to establish the brand’s experience- first positioning across India.
• Conceptualized and executed 150+ high-impact events, including Red Bull Soapbox, Thre3Style, and X- Fighters Jam, solidifying Red Bull’s cultural resonance.
• Led India’s award-winning entry into Formula 1, delivering a nationwide 360 activation across 250 universities, 400 on-trade locations, and 50 modern trade touchpoints. Spearheaded the official circuit launch, a Guinness World Record-setting F1 car drive on the world’s highest motorable road, and high- impact show-car runs in the heart of the national capital drawing over 50,000 spectators.
• Built and scaled India’s pioneering Opinion Leader Program, strategically engaging cross-genre influencers to boost brand credibility and co-create immersive experiences.
• Localized the global brand playbook and managed POSM deployment for events and on-trade in India, optimizing an annual $175K budget.
• Launched a first of its kind pan-India campus engagement network, activating 250 top universities and cultivating a generation of 75 student brand evangelists across 5 markets.
• Managed P&L for projects, achieving over 55% ROI through cost-efficient, high-impact strategies.
• Appointed, groomed, and managed agencies to execute consistent, scalable activations across markets. EARLY CAREER 2006 – 2010
• Founder - Led business development initiatives, managed team recruitment, developed innovative concepts, streamlined vendor management processes and oversaw production design at Trinity
• Non Fiction Producer - for over 36 TV shows including, Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader (India), Voice of India at Disney-STAR
ADVISORY AND TEACHING
• Adjunct Faculty: XIC, Whistling Woods International Sports Marketing, IP Creation
• Board Member: Bhavan’s MSEED – Curriculum Development
• Executive Committee Member: Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) EDUCATION
• RMIT University – Master of Creative Media (MCM); Film and Television Production
• SIES College – Bachelor of Science – BS, Computer Science KEY SKILLS
Experiential Marketing • Event Planning • Sport Management • Sponsorship • Brand Partnerships • IP Development • Content Strategy • Youth Marketing • CRM & Loyalty • Teaching and Mentorship