40 Under 40 2021: Samantha Peihua Chen, CAA Sports

Samantha Peihua Chen

Executive vice president, partnerships and strategic development, APAC
CAA Sports
Singapore

Samantha Chen entered the professional world just when the financial crisis hit in 2008. Her first job amid a tough period taught her that brands that truly understand their audience are most likely to make it through any hurdle—a lesson she carried with her throughout a career at Google and Manchester United Football Club. Now, having learnt a few more things along the way, she spends her time at CAA Sports, where she leads a host of multi-year partnerships with top-tier clients.

In 2018, Chen was hired by the sports and talent agency to build its APAC property sales and talent business. And she took the task seriously. To date, she has secured high-profile partnerships for a range of sports rights holders and talent, negotiating sponsorship contracts in excess of $140 million. These partnerships include Oppo and League of Legends; Oppo and Eddie Redmayne; Unilever (Axe) and League of Legends; Shopee and Cristiano Ronaldo; and Lazada and Lee Min-Ho. On top of that, in 2019, she made history by delivering Oppo as the first-ever Asian partner in the Wimbledon Championship’s 142-year timeline.

Chen’s work was so fruitful, she is regularly pulled in as an Asian advisor to other CAA departments including brand consulting, music, and commercial endorsements across the network’s London, Beijing, New York, and Los Angeles offices. She has also led workshops for her Western colleagues and clients, educating them on the complexities in Asian cultures and business nuances. And as a keen food lover, she often uses food as a tool to break down cultural barriers. This work of attempting to dismantle stereotypes and drive inclusivity earned her a spot on two global CAA committees aimed at promoting diversity across the wider business.

For this and much more, Chen was recognised for her leadership qualities by winning CAA Sports’ ‘Global MVP’ award in 2019. And in 2021, she was rightfully promoted to her current EVP role, one that also entails the task of establishing a new office in Singapore. Forgive the strained sports analogy, but it seems like CAA Sports has scored a home run, a hat trick, and an ace in Chen’s hire.