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Sports platform Fanatics taps Orlando Ashford in new role

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Cruise industry veteran Orlando Ashford was appointed to the newly created role of chief people officer at Fanatics Holdings
Fanatics, a global digital sports platform, appointed cruise industry veteran senior executive Orlando Ashford to the newly created role of chief people officer at Fanatics Holdings.

He will work closely with the company’s three businesses — commerce, collectibles and betting & gaming — while managing global human resources for the company.

Sycamore Partners, Azamara, Holland America Line

Ashford has been a strategic advisor to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm that acquired Azamara from Royal Caribbean Group in 2021, and subsequently served as Azamara's executive chairman. Earlier, he was president of Holland America Line for five years, until 2020.

Continuing on the Azamara board

'My full time work duties with be with Fanatics, but I have personal interests that connect me to the success of Sycamore and Azamara in particular. I will continue to serve on the board of Azamara and will advise or help Sycamore as necessary as a board director,' Ashford told Seatrade Cruise News.

HR expertise

Ashford had joined the cruise industry after holding senior HR roles with several Fortune 500 companies, including Marsh & McLennan Companies, The Coca-Cola Co. and Motorola.

At Fanatics, he will be based in New York City and directly oversee the HR team with a dual reporting role into both Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin for matters including culture, talent development, corporate communications, corporate social responsibility and diversity and inclusion, and Fanatics CFO Glenn H. Schiffman for matters including total rewards and HR infrastructure, strategy, policies and operations.