L
ynn White’s job at the NHL could perhaps be best described as an international jack-of-all-trades for the league.
Lynn White
NHL // Group vice president, international strategy
“Our international group is essentially a microcosm of all of the league’s business groups — we have a media business, we have a consumer products business, we have an event business and a sponsorship business,” said White, who has been at the league for more than 22 years. “We are also looking geographically at different areas, so it could be China in the morning, Sweden in the afternoon and Germany later that evening. Having such a wide view makes it very interesting to come into the office every day.”
White’s expertise has become even more important for the league the last 12 months as it has embarked on a renewed international strategy that began with the relaunch of the World Cup of Hockey a year ago. The league will play games in China and Sweden this fall and expects to continue to expand its footprint globally, all efforts in which White will play a key role.
“While we’ve successfully focused on our domestic business this last decade or so, the World Cup of Hockey this past September was our coming-out party internationally,” she said. “The next great frontier for us is the international landscape, and I don’t think anyone was more enthusiastic about the renewal of our international strategy than me.”
— Ian Thomas
