Brand Finance Global Marathons Report Launch 2025, in partnership with TCS

Mr. Abhinav Kumar serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for Tata Consultancy Services, leading a global, diverse and gender balanced team of 700 professionals in 55 countries, who drive the brand, reputation, relationships, and growth for the company.

As part of the company’s senior leadership team, he serves on the Executive Committee and reports directly to the CEO of TCS, while splitting his time between the company’s Headquaters in Mumbai and his office in Belgium.

Under his leadership, this team has been recognized with over 150 awards for excellence in Communications & Marketing, establishing the company as the #1 fastest growing brand in the IT Services Industry over the past 15 years. The brand value of the company has risen exponentially from US$ 2.3 billion in 2010 to US$ 21.3 billion in 2025. Its brand awareness among executives went up by 2X to 84% in the same period, it has consistently held a Top 3 industry position in terms of media share and been rated as #1 in customer satisfaction for 10 years in a row. All these efforts led the company to be recognized as a “Superbrand” in its top two markets - the US & the UK, and at its APAC headquarters - Singapore.

During this tenure, Abhinav has overseen a massive expansion in the brand sponsorship strategy to create a US$350 million portfolio which has included tie-ups with some of the world’s premier firms including the Ferrari, Ducati and Jaguar teams in motorsports, the Dutch Open golf tournament, the Garmin-Cervelo cycling team and over 15 major running events including the TCS NewYork City Marathon, TCS Amsterdam Marathon and TCS London Marathon. He holds executive responsibility for the company’s relationships with several multilateral bodies, including the European Union, and with the World Economic Forum.

Over the past four years from 2021-2024, Abhinav was regularly featured in the Influence 100 list, being rated among the world’s most high-impact global CMOs and CCOs. In 2020, he was recognized by Reputation Today magazine as one of the Top 20 global communications leaders. In 2019, Abhinav was accorded the SABRE award in London, for outstanding lifetime career achievement as a CMO.

Over a 23-year career, Abhinav has been part of a leadership team that has scaled the company 41X times, from a US$ 700 million to a US$29 billion business, and from a workforce of 18,000 to 615,000. He has served in several key leadership positions in this journey, including as the CMO for International Markets
(2017-2023), CMO for Europe (2011-2017), CCO for Europe (2008-2011) and CMO for Latin America (2004-08). He was also part of the corporate team that worked on the company’s US$ 1.2 billion IPO in 2004.

Abhinav holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta and a honours degree in Economics from Delhi University.

He is a member of the World Economic Forum CMO Council, the Wall Street Journal CMO Network and the UN Global Compact CMO Think Lab. Abhinav serves as a board member at EIBC (Europe India Business Council), Global Advisory Board member of the IT Services Marketing Association (ITSMA), Member of IMD Business School’s CMO Roundtable, Member of Ipsos Mori’s Reputation council, Advisory board Member of the Think Tank Free Trade Europa, Advisory Board Member of ThinkYoung, Customer Advisory Board Member of Relayto, and a Member of the Global Communications Director Network (GCDN) in Switzerland.

Based out of the firm’s Brussels office, Abhinav has lived and worked in six countries (Belgium, Chile, France, India, Switzerland and Uruguay) and speaks two European languages - Spanish and French. He is a regular speaker at various universities, parliaments, and industry events worldwide on communications, branding, trade and economic issues. He has two sons, with whom he shares a passion for discovering the world and for the sport of cricket, and a wife who is a Career Strategist and Executive Coach.

Ted Metellus leads and oversees all event development and production for New York Road Runners (NYRR). Ted first joined NYRR in 2001 as an Event Manager and served in this role until 2003. He then returned in 2018, as the organization’s Senior Director of Events. In 2019, he was promoted to Vice President of Events and Technical Director of the TCS New York City Marathon. In February 2021, he was named the Race Director of the TCS New York City Marathon, the first-ever Black race director of an Abbott World Marathon Majors race. In May 2022 he was promoted to a Senior Vice President and in November 2024 became NYRR’s Chief Event Production Officer and Race Director.

Metellus plays a significant role in managing New York Road Runners’ 60 youth and adult races each year, overseeing and enhancing start, course and finish operations, safety and security, medical teams, staffing and volunteers, youth events, experiential events and warehouse operations. His event leadership role spans from the TCS New York City Marathon, the world’s largest marathon, and RBC Brooklyn Half, the nation’s largest half marathon, to weekly 5K and one-mile races across New York City’s five boroughs and New Jersey.

Additionally, he serves as the organization’s key liaison with New York City agencies and partners, a crucial relationship for New York Road Runners throughout the year to hold its events in the city’s parks and streets.

Metellus has more than 25 years of experience in the endurance sports industry overseeing start, course and finish operations of events domestically and internationally. Prior to returning to New York Road Runners, he worked and consulted with numerous organizations in the industry, including Eventage Event Production, Miami Marathon, Philadelphia Triathlon, Premier Event Management, Tough Mudder, Lifetime Events, IRONMAN and the Rock n Roll Marathon Series. In 2016, he was named the National Center for Spectator Sport Safety and Security (NCS4) Professional of the Year, an honor given to an individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership in addressing safety and security issues and in 2022 Ted was recognized as a leader who has made the sport and business of road running the successful and beloved industry it is today. He was entered in Running USA’s Hall of Champions, an honor reserved for those who have given their time, energy and passion to improving the sport in new directions.

A Bronx native, Metellus grew up running in New York City and was a member of his high school track and cross-country teams. He graduated from the State University of New York College at Oswego with a BA in Public Relations and Communications. He currently lives in Manhattan and has run 44 half marathons, as well as the New York City Marathon in 2008 and 2013.

Dawna is the CEO of Abbott World Marathon Majors. She is best known in the running industry for launching the award-winning magazine, Women’s Running, and America’s largest women’s half marathon series. Dawna sold both companies in 2012. Prior to working with the Majors, Dawna was CEO of Running USA, a non-profit organization devoted to improving the status and experience of distance running and racing in the United States. Before entering the running industry, Dawna was a financial analyst for Wall Street investment bank Morgan Stanley, a consultant for Deloitte Consulting, and held senior-level roles at several large companies. Dawna is a mom of two kids, the author of ten books, a motivational speaker and an avid runner and Hawaii Ironman finisher.

Wayne is the CEO of Pont3 and Race Director of the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS. The 7th and newest Abbott World Marathon Majors.

He represented Australia at four World Athletics Cross Country Championships.

Wayne studied at Canberra University and has a Bachelor of Applied Science, Sports Science.

He started his professional career in 1993 as the Assistant Race Director of the Sun-Herald City2Surf, then went on to work for AMP Limited managing many of their Sydney 2000 Olympic sponsorship programs.

He founded Pont3 in 2005 and has been Race Director of Sydney Marathon since then.

The event has grown from 5,300 in 2022, when it became a World Majors Candidate race, and will host 35,000 this year.

In 2024 he achieved what many thought impossible being named as the 7th Abbott World Marathon Major.

As the Chief Strategy & Talent Officer of Standard Chartered, Tanuj heads Corporate Strategy, Bank-wide Transformation and Corporate functions (HR, Brand & Marketing, Corporate Affairs, Supply Chain Management and Corporate Real Estate). Leading at the intersection of strategy, transformation, people and brand, she is responsible for how the Bank develops, executes and communicates its strategy. Prior to taking on this role in 2024, Tanuj was the Bank’s Chief Human Resources Officer.

Tanuj is a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Sainsbury’s PLC and a member of their Nomination and Remuneration Committees. She is also an Associate Non-Executive Director on the Board of NHS England, advising the NHS on their workforce transformation agenda. In addition, Tanuj is a member of the Asia House Board of Trustees, and on the board of Vault22, an integrated digital wealth, health and lifestyle solutions start-up. She has also previously served as a Board member of the UK Financial Services Skills Commission.

Tanuj is a recognised thought-leader on the future of work. She is often featured by leading global media including The Economist, Financial Times, Bloomberg, BBC and in publications such as the Harvard Business Review, on a range of topics, including culture, leadership, inclusion and skills. She is a regular participant at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Her first book ‘The Skills-Powered Organization – The Journey to the Next Generation Enterprise’ has been published by the MIT Press in 2024.

Prior to joining Standard Chartered in 2017, Tanuj built her career in banking across multiple markets, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, India, and London.

John is a member of Bank of America’s International Management and EMEA Executive Committees and is based in London.  His responsibilities include coordinating the strategic development and execution of the company’s international marketing, corporate and external communication programs. He works in close partnership with the company’s senior management and leaders across its Global Banking and Global Markets businesses and all related support functions.

Prior to joining Bank of America in 2010, John was Corporate Affairs director for Barclays’ Global Retail and Commercial Banking businesses, which spanned 28 countries. He spent the first 15 years of his career as an investment banker advising clients on capital market transactions at Barclays and Credit Suisse before becoming director of Investor Relations and Strategy at RHM plc, a major UK food manufacturer, from the time of its successful flotation to its subsequent takeover.

A Sloan Fellow, McIvor holds a master’s degree in management with distinction from London Business School and an undergraduate degree in banking and international finance from Bayes Business School.

Chris is Divisional Vice President of Global Brand Strategy and Innovation at Abbott, where he leads the company’s global partnerships and sponsorships, including Abbott’s high-profile engagements with the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM), Real Madrid, and the Big Ten Conference, encompassing partnerships with all 18 Big Ten universities. AbbottWMM is comprised of seven prestigious global marathons: London, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, New York City, Tokyo, and Sydney. Chris has played an integral role in Abbott’s involvement with these events, particularly the London Marathon. Additionally, he oversees Abbott’s longstanding presence at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), showcasing innovation and technology leadership.

Chris joined Abbott in 2013 following an accomplished career on the advertising and marketing agency side. Prior to Abbott, he served as Global Chief Digital Officer at the IPG agency FCB, where he spent five years working with prominent global brands such as Taco Bell, Oreo, Nivea, Discover Financial, and Cox Communications.

Before his tenure at FCB, Chris founded Tractiv, a pioneering digital agency acquired by Omnicom in 2005 to enhance its digital capabilities. Following the acquisition, he became Chief Digital Officer at Omnicom’s Element 79. Chris began his career at Leo Burnett, advancing from Manager to Executive Vice President and Director, and founding chemistri, one of North America’s leading interactive agencies. His extensive experience includes influential campaigns for major global brands like the U.S. Army, Nintendo, Allstate, Adidas, Disney, Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, and McDonald’s.

Recognized as a leader in digital marketing and innovation, Chris has served on Apple’s Customer Advisory Board and frequently contributes his insights at industry conferences and university engagements. He has further supported the industry as a judge for prestigious awards such as the Effies, IAB MIXX Awards, and Cannes Lions

Chris is a graduate of Drake University’s Journalism program, holding a triple major in advertising, radio/TV, and media graphics, and was just one class shy of adding a fourth major in psychology. Outside of his professional endeavors, Chris enjoys an active lifestyle with his family. He and his wife Patricia are fitness enthusiasts, and she’s on our AbbottWMM Six Star journey. Their son Sebastian shares their enthusiasm for sports, actively competing in swimming, tennis, soccer, and basketball. They enjoy traveling together, combining family experiences with a shared passion for health and wellness.

David is the Chairman of Brand Finance Plc – the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. He has worked in the area of branded business, brand, and intangible asset valuation since 1991. He specialised entirely in the field after becoming the Director of Brand Valuation for Interbrand in 1995. He subsequently left Interbrand in 1996 to launch Brand Finance which is celebrating 25 years in business this year.

David represented the British Standards Institution in the working parties responsible for crafting international industry standards: ISO 10668 on Brand Valuation in 2010 and ISO 20671 on Brand Evaluation in 2019.

David is a passionate writer and has authored many articles on brand valuation, published in numerous marketing and finance newspapers and magazines, such as: Financial Times, Accountancy Age, and Marketing Week. He has also lectured on the topic of brand valuation for Harvard, Chicago, and London Business Schools.

David graduated from Bristol University with an English degree, qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse in London, and obtained a postgraduate diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). He is a Fellow of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and has a practising certificate with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

Annie is a qualified management accountant and has worked on Brand and Business valuation projects serving global clients, including Barclays and Shell. She is experienced across of variety of services including brand licensing, research analytics, rebrand uplift and balance sheet valuation. Annie heads up various studies at Brand Finance, including the annual Global Intangible Finance Tracker (GIFT™) and the Brand Guardianship Index. In addition, Annie has conducted research and analysis for the Brand Finance brand rankings, specialising in Banking, Retail and Oil & Gas sectors. Annie has served clients worldwide, with a particular focus on the USA and the Middle East. Annie joined Brand Finance as an Analyst in August 2017 after graduating from The University of Edinburgh with a Masters degree in Philosophy and Economics. She has since completed her CIMA professional qualification.

Hugo Hensley is an expert in the business of sport and sponsorship, and has led Brand Finance’s services in this area for 4 years. Hugo has worked with the likes of Liverpool FC, Real Madrid, and Mercedes F1 to help them understand the value of their brands and calculate the value they create for partners through sponsorship. Hugo leads Brand Finance’s research studies into the value of sporting brands around the world, and the fan research studies that form the foundation of these insights. 

Hugo has contributed insights and commentary to print and broadcast media, as well as podcasts and industry journals, including The Economist, Bloomberg, BBC World News and WARC (World Advertising Research Centre). Hugo has lectured on the business of sport, branding in sport, and sponsorship return on investment at EmLyon Business School and UNSW Business School. 

Hugo qualified as a chartered accountant with Brand Finance, after graduating from Oxford University with a Masters in Engineering.