Dr Kamilla Swart-Arries has 30 years of experience in sport, tourism, and event management that spans academia and the private sector and has consulted broadly in both public and private sectors. She is an Associate Professor and Director of the MS in Sport and Entertainment Management program, a joint degree with the University of South Carolina.

Dr Swart-Arries has worked in the industry as a Sport and Facilities Manager at the Cape Town 2004 Olympic bid and as a Sponsorship Consultant for Octagon South Africa delivering strategic sponsorship services to major corporations. She also headed the Durban Events Corporation – a public-private sector partnership with the City of Durban to attract tourism through major events – and was instrumental in driving the 2010 FIFA World Cup Research Agenda. She also headed major research projects managing field research at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games and the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.

Dr Swart-Arries worked closely with Qatar Foundation to support their 2022 FIFA World Cup activities and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy in driving the research agenda. She also served as Co-Chair of the World Association of Sport Management Conference Qatar 2023. She has been appointed to the Scientific Committee (research pillar) of the UNESCO Chair on Governance & Social Responsibility in Sport at HBKU.