Sportradar Group AG announced today the appointment of Behshad Behzadi as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CTO and CAIO), effective May 1. In his new role, Behzadi will be situated at Sportradar’s headquarters in Switzerland, reporting directly to CEO Carsten Koerl. Tasked with driving innovation and advancement across the organization, Behzadi will spearhead the integration and utilization of AI and state-of-the-art technology to enrich the company’s product offerings and strategic roadmap, ultimately providing highly personalized experiences for sports enthusiasts. With a focus on optimizing internal processes and fostering innovation, Behzadi’s leadership will enhance operational efficiency and elevate Sportradar’s position as a leader in global sports data, fan insights, and betting liquidity. Leveraging cutting-edge AI technology is poised to propel the company’s efficiency and generate substantial value for its clients and stakeholders alike. Koerl said: “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 commercializing 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 twenty years of expertise under his belt, Behzadi emerges as a distinguished figure in the realm of computer science and a celebrated leader in global technology. His focus spans across algorithms, search ranking, natural language processing, speech recognition, machine learning, and generative AI. Since joining Google Zurich in 2006, Behzadi has played a pivotal role in shaping Google’s AI-driven strategies. He co-founded groundbreaking initiatives like Google Assistant, Google Lens, Google Smart Display, and the Next Gen Assistant, which marks a transformative milestone in mobile assistant technology, utilizing on-device Machine Learning. Recently, he has led Google Cloud’s Conversational AI and applied Generative AI initiatives, aiming to harness advanced AI breakthroughs to overhaul customer services and operational workflows for major corporations. Behzadi completed his PhD in Bioinformatics at Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, followed by postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics. Behzadi said: “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 organization 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.”
Sportradar Appoints Behshad Behzadi as Chief Technology and Artificial Intelligence Officer
