A GLOBE trotting journalist is kick-starting a new phase in his career after being appointed as a senior member of a worldwide sports media team.
Former Darlington College journalism student James Pearce has been appointed by global intelligence service SportBusiness Media to develop its Europe, Middle East and Africa team.
The company, which has offices based in London and Miami, is co-owned by Italian entrepreneur and co-owner of AC Milan Riccardo Silva and covers sports marketing, media rights and distribution of all major international televised sporting events.
James, 31, of Sedgefield, County Durham, previously worked within the telecoms sector for business-to-business magazine Mobile News and for Euromoney Group’s telecoms publications Capacity and Global Telecoms Business.
“This is a fantastic progression opportunity and a great chance to work within new and different sectors in journalism,” he said.
“I have to remember sometimes that I really am living the dream; I get to write all day which I love, I have had the opportunity to question the movers and shakers of the business world, chair panels at international conferences, even interview Sophia the social humanoid robot – something that I now have in common with both Will Smith and Piers Morgan.
“I have travelled the world and written on five of the seven continents. Last year I went to 10 different countries, the year before that 13, and to be able to visit Brazil and write at the foot of the Christ the Redeemer statue is something that I never imagined I’d do.”
The former Sedgefield Community College student enrolled on the Darlington College NCTJ course in 2011 after taking A levels and studying politics and philosophy at Lancaster University.
“I saw the NCTJ course advertised at Darlington College, but the year that I left university they weren’t running the course,” said James. “I went to work at EE, in Darlington, for 12 months, which gave me the chance to save some money and then enrolled the following year.
“The course was really good; I was in a small class and in my first week I got to interview Gordon Ramsey’s protégé Angela Hartnett who was judging a young chef competition in the college’s catering department.”
After graduating, James undertook freelance work writing for different sports outlets and secured work experience with the Gazette where he enjoyed his first front page splash.
“I really wasn’t sure where journalism would take me when I set out,” added James. “I always thought I’d write for a local paper, or maybe even a national, so to have secured the career that I have has been amazing.”