Sports data firm Sportradar has announced the appointment of Behshad Behzadi as the company’s new Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
Assuming his role effective immediately today (1 May), Behzadi will take on the dual role of CTO and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) with objectives to bolster Sportradar’s usage and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge technology.
Behzadi will look to enhance Sportradar offerings and roadmap to deliver personalised experiences for sports fans by leaning on his extensive experience in leading initiatives at improving internal operational efficiency.
Sportradar CEO, Carsten Koerl, stated: “We are proud to welcome Behshad, a world-renowned leader in harnessing generative AI and other advanced technologies, who marries a unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen.
“His proven track record in developing and commercialising product strategies to accelerate growth and innovation, as well as spearheading initiatives aimed at improving internal operational efficiency, will bolster our leadership position, keeping Sportradar at the forefront of technological advancement.”
With more than 20 years of experience, Behzadi is a computer scientist with expertise in algorithms, search ranking, natural language processing, speech recognition, machine learning and generative AI.
Behzadi joined Google Zurich in 2006 and played a key role in Google’s AI-first strategy as Co-Founder of Google Assistant, Google Lens, Google Smart Display and the Next Gen Assistant.
Most recently, he led Google Cloud’s Conversational AI and applied Generative AI initiative focusing on applying the latest AI advancements to reimagine and automate customer services and operations for large enterprises.
Behzadi commented on his appointment: “Sportradar is an exceptional company and category leader operating at the global intersection of sports, technology and digital content. I am very excited to join an organisation that pushes the boundaries on technology and puts a premium on innovation.
“I look forward to working alongside Carsten, the rest of the executive management team and their talented group of creators to continue Sportradar’s history of innovation as the company enters its next exciting chapter.”
