Safa Taryam is the Chief Executive Officer of Elite Sport UAE (ESUAE), the Emirates Committee for Elite and High-Level Sports. ESUAE is the government body responsible for the UAE’s high-performance sport system, and is based in Dubai. In this role, Safa sets the strategic direction for how the UAE identifies, develops and supports elite athletes. She works closely with the UAE Ministry of Sport and the UAE National Olympic Committee on national sport policy and high performance. She also leads ESUAE’s partnerships with priority sport federations to strengthen performance pathways, governance and long-term planning ahead of major international competitions.
Before joining ESUAE, Safa built a career at FIFA based out of Zurich, working across broadcast, marketing and commercial partnerships. Her experience spans both strategic work at FIFA headquarters and on-the-ground event delivery at multiple FIFA World Cups™. That work gave her a rare view of the global sport industry, from rights and partnerships strategy through to running the world’s largest sporting events. Safa holds a Master’s degree in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport. It is awarded by the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) together with De Montfort University, SDA Bocconi School of Management and the University of Neuchâtel.
