Sports management today is more than the coordination of courts and calendars. It is the art of balancing passion with accuracy. Behind every match, every training session, and every young athlete chasing a dream, lies a complex web of logistics, emotions, and expectations. It’s a world that demands foresight and flexibility, where leaders must inspire teams, nurture talent, and adapt to challenges faster than a serve across the net.
Few understand this balance better than Diego Neves De Almeida, a dynamic force in Dubai’s sporting landscape and General Manager at ISD Dubai Sports City. With years of experience shaping the future of racket sports, from tennis and padel to table tennis and beach tennis, Diego has turned his lifelong love for the game into a blueprint for leadership.
At ISD, he doesn’t just oversee operations; he orchestrates experiences. Whether it is guiding coaches, engaging families, or organizing tournaments that bring communities together, his focus remains on people. They are the heartbeat of every successful sports organization. His approach blends structure with soul, proving that great management isn’t about control, but about connection.
An athlete at heart, Diego lives the very values he promotes. His passion for triathlon, padel, tennis, table tennis and football keeps him grounded in the discipline, humility, and joy that sport embodies. In every sense, he represents the evolving face of modern sports management, where vision meets empathy. Every match is more than a game. It is a story of growth, teamwork, and purpose.
A Lifelong Journey in Sports
Sports have been part of Diego Neves de Almeida’s life for as long as he can remember. From football and table tennis to squash, beach racket, tennis, and padel, each game shaped his character in a different way. Growing up with supportive parents who encouraged him to stay active, respect others, and always play fair, Diego learned early that every sport teaches something beyond competition. It teaches resilience and teamwork.
What started as a love for sports and in special for racket sports eventually became a path to leadership. He discovered that behind every match lies a network of people including families, coaches, teammates, and friends, all contributing to success. That collective spirit inspired how he leads today as General Manager at ISD Dubai Sports City, where the court has simply evolved from a place of play to a platform for leadership.
A Day at ISD
No two days at ISD Dubai Sports City are ever the same. Diego likens his role to a tennis match or a triathlon race as each moment brings a new pace, challenge, and opportunity. With operations running from early morning until late at night, his team is constantly in motion, delivering experiences that keep the facility alive with energy. He believes planning is crucial, but so is flexibility. Strategies often need to adjust to what’s happening on the ground, much like a player adjusting to wind or spin mid-match. Diego thrives in that rhythm, where quick decisions and resilience define the pace of every day.
Uniting Through Sport
Diego sees success in a city as diverse as Dubai depends on more than athletic performance. It’s about building a community rooted in shared values. Passion, improvement, fun, fair play, and motivation form the foundation of ISD’s culture. He shares that sports should inspire the next generation, showing young athletes that the lessons learned on the court extend far beyond it. “Sports can open doors, build lifelong friendships, and support growth in every aspect; physical, mental, and even spiritual,” he says. Respect and fair play are non-negotiable, especially in a multicultural environment where small gestures can leave lasting impressions.
The Triathlete Mindset
Triathlon training has deeply influenced Diego’s approach to leadership. He trains out of passion, not obligation. It’s an attitude he brings into his professional life. “With the right mindset, plan, and support, anything is achievable,” he shares. “It is all directly connect to the numbers. More training, more commitment, extra push, passion and respect will turn in better number, on a race or on the excel sheet.”
This discipline drives his purpose-driven leadership style. He believes that simple actions such as a smile, a kind word, or a small gesture of encouragement can transform a person’s day. His own commitment to endurance and perseverance motivates his team to push their limits, reminding them that, just like in a race, every effort adds up to something meaningful. At the end of a season or a year, the effort and commitment can be celebrated with an extra commission or a bonus.
Redefining Innovation in Sports Management
For Diego, innovation isn’t just about new technology or digital tools. It’s about evolving mindsets. Having experience in big events such as US Open Tennis, FIFA World CUP 2014 and Rio 2016 Olympic games, he can see the quick transformation in the past years with fans behavior, clients request, revenue streams, activations and business opportunities.
“Innovation is about how we communicate, support each other, and grow,” he explains. At ISD, that philosophy translates into a culture of openness and creativity. Whether it’s trying out a new platform to enhance training or reimagining how teams celebrate success, Diego encourages his staff to keep pushing boundaries. The goal is simple yet profound: to create a better environment, a better experience, and ultimately, a better celebration of sport.
Client base approach
In managing racket sports at ISD, unpredictability is the only constant. Diego compares it to a decisive point in a tennis match, when momentum can shift in an instant. His management style reflects that same adaptability—free from rigid concepts or predetermined rules. For him, the client is always at the center, and satisfaction is the ultimate goal. Whether it means changing plans, rethinking a process, or personally stepping in to solve an issue, Diego does whatever it takes to deliver what the client needs. That mindset, coupled with his calm focus under pressure, has earned ISD Padel an impressive rate of returning players [90%], proof that clients are not just heard, but truly understood.
Beyond the Scoreboard
At ISD, youth development is far more than a business — it’s the very heart of the organization’s purpose. Diego and his team are deeply committed to nurturing young athletes across all three sports under his leadership. In tennis, ISD partners with ISD Pro Style to help children and teenagers elevate their game to the next level. In table tennis, it brings the importance of such a beautiful and technical sport for kids to learn from young age the footwork, quick reaction and way of thinking. In padel, Diego takes pride in having helped build one of the region’s first academies dedicated to kids, with over 500 kids in the past year — a project especially close to his heart.
A former young athlete himself, Diego remains grateful to the coaches who shaped his character and values. That experience fuels his drive to give back — pushing his team to make a lasting difference in every child’s life. The programs at ISD are designed not only to develop strong competitors but well-rounded individuals. Confidence, character, and life skills matter just as much as performance. “Our coaches step into the kids’ shoes,” Diego explains, “because they remember what it felt like to be inspired by someone who believed in them.”
The Heart of the Team
When it comes to building his team, Diego looks beyond titles or résumés. He values attitude over accolades. “Respect, team spirit, and a genuine desire to make a difference matter more than being the ideal candidate,” he says. He knows that no success is achieved alone — his results are entirely tied to the dedication and quality of the people around him. That’s why he takes pride in the team he has built at ISD, recognizing them as the true foundation of every accomplishment.
For Diego, leadership means creating an environment where people grow together, learn from one another, and share the same sense of purpose. That philosophy has shaped a team at ISD Dubai Sports City that mirrors his own values of empathy, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Finding Balance Through Purpose
Balancing the demands of leadership with personal life isn’t easy, especially in a high-energy environment that runs almost non-stop. But for Diego, the answer lies in passion and purpose. “It’s tough, especially when you love what you do,” he admits. What keeps him grounded is his “why.” It’s the belief that his work helps others find joy, confidence, and community through sport. Success isn’t measured in hours worked or financial gains. It’s measured in the fulfillment that comes from making a meaningful difference in people’s lives, emotionally, spiritually, and professionally. As in any other business the financial is very important but for him it is more important for the whole team to understand that are families depending on the business and if everyone have the visions to move forward, the number will grow.
A Legacy Built on Connection
When asked about the legacy he hopes to leave in the UAE’s sports industry, Diego doesn’t hesitate. “That sports can connect, build, teach, and transform lives,” he says with conviction. He believes in second chances, in comebacks that redefine resilience. “It’s never too late. There’s always a chance to come back, even from 6-0, 5-0. It is all about the feeling to cross that finish line with the certainty of giving it all. That the best effort was delivered, either on the race day, on the court giving a lesson, on a speech for the team or in a meeting.” His legacy, much like his journey, is rooted in optimism. It’s the belief that sport is a bridge that unites people, regardless of age, background, or skill level.
The Power of Openness
In a fast-evolving sports landscape, staying ahead means staying curious. Diego and his team make it a point to explore new trends, embrace technology, and connect with people who share their vision for growth. “Even if it’s not the right time or perfect moment, we keep the doors open,” he says. That openness keeps ISD agile and ready for opportunities that align with its mission to lead, inspire, and innovate within Dubai’s dynamic sports community.
For Diego, ISD is also a unique environment, one of the few places where he can truly do what he loves. The organization’s management inspires and challenges him, offering both the freedom to innovate and the guidance to keep raising the bar. “In this business, it’s rare to find leadership so aligned around financial results, service excellence, and giving back to the community,” he reflects. “That’s what makes ISD special.” With the guidance of Daniel Petrovs (ISD CEO) and his plans of expansion, Diego sees a bright future for sports in the UAE.
Leading the Next Generation
To young professionals dreaming of a career in sports management, Diego offers advice drawn from experience: “Lead with passion. Be open to learning, resilient in failure, and ready for change. Be open to listen, to guide, to advice and if needed, to take a step back. Show that you have your teams back and you will always protect them showing different aways to achieve individual and team goals. It is all about enjoying the journey.” He likens leadership to race day. Conditions may shift and challenges may arise, but what matters most is showing up and giving your best performance. “You either face it and show your game or pack up and go home,” he says with a smile.
Defining Success Beyond Trophies
When Diego looks at what makes him proudest at ISD, it isn’t a single event or milestone. It’s the people. “I’m proud of the love and unity within our team,” he says. To him, real success is deeply personal: ending each day knowing he made someone smile, made his parents proud, and met incredible people through sport. It’s a simple but profound philosophy. One that continues to guide his journey, both on and off the court.
