Portas Consulting founder David Portas transitions to chair

After almost two decades at the top, Portas Consulting’s managing director and founder David Portas is to step down from the firm’s leading role. He will continue as executive chair, helping new managing director Donal McElwee to build for a strong future at the consultancy.

Founded in 2006, the boutique sports advisory has offices in London, Dubai, Riyadh and Singapore, the firm supports governments, sports bodies and corporates around the world. The firm’s clients include entities such as the Scottish Football Association, and the Global ESports Federation.

Since its launch, the firm has been helmed by its founder and namesake, David Portas. However, following Portas Consulting’s most successful year to date – in which the firm grew to 150 staff, and five offices across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia – he has decided that the time is right to transition to a new role. As Donal McElwee steps into Portas’ former position of managing partner, the firm’s founder will now become its executive chairman.

Speaking on the shift, Portas said, “I am so proud of how we have grown and transformed into a global leading company in the sports sector over the last 17 years. I am excited now to focus on Portas’ further expansion opportunities and enhance our reputation for high-quality pragmatic advice and ideas.”

A former McKinsey & Company partner, Portas spent 12 years with the strategy giant, before launching his own firm. In the time he spent with McKinsey, he led its strategy, organisation and performance improvement work for global clients in multiple sectors including energy, public sector and sport. He previously also spent a decade in exploration and production with BP.

Portas will now leverage that experience to help his own firm’s future leaders to shape its future. A release from the consultancy stated that it is presently involved in “some of the most exciting and impactful projects in the world of sport”. To respond to that growth and ensure the firm continues to flourish, Portas Consulting is also reconfiguring and enlarging the leadership team, with more announcements set to be made in coming weeks.

Looking ahead to that, Portas added, “My continued inspiration is the passionate and knowledgeable group of people who work for us, so my new role will also allow me to build the next generation of Portas leaders.”