Brad Keywall appointed to TKO Board of Directors

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

WWE issued the following press release to announce that Brad Keywall appointed to TKO Board of Directors.

NEW YORK (January 23, 2024) – TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) (“TKO”), a premium sports and entertainment company, has appointed Brad Keywell to its Board of Directors, effective today.

Keywell, an accomplished entrepreneur with deep expertise in technology and artificial intelligence, brings significant experience in innovation and industry disruption to the Board. He has co-founded and led multiple companies, including Groupon, Echo Global Logistics, MediaOcean, and Uptake Technologies, where he is currently Founder and Executive Chairman. He is the 2019 EY World Entrepreneur of the Year, only the third US entrepreneur to receive the global honor, in addition to being named the overall 2018 EY Entrepreneur of the Year in the United States. Keywell also established the global Chicago Ideas conference, created the WNDR Museum, and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He received his Juris Doctorate with Honors from the University of Michigan Law School.

Ariel Emanuel, CEO, TKO, said: “Brad’s curiosity, creativity, and leadership will be an asset for management and shareholders alike. Now more than ever, tech is intertwined with sports and entertainment. Brad’s expertise in launching and scaling first-of-their-kind companies will strengthen our ability to guide the growth of WWE and UFC, unlocking even more value creation.”

Brad Keywell said: “TKO’s consistent innovation has positioned it at the forefront of entertainment. I look forward to being a part of its continued expansion, optimization of the fan experience, and leverage of emerging technologies.”

The addition of Keywell, as well as today’s appointment of Dwayne Johnson to TKO’s Board of Directors, will increase TKO’s board from 11 to 13 members.

Brad Keywell Background

Bradley A. Keywell, age 54, is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Uptake Technologies, Inc., an industrial artificial intelligence and machine learning software company. He is managing partner of Lightbank, a venture capital fund. He is co-founder of MediaBank LLC, a provider of integrated media procurement technology, and Echo Global Logistics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ECHO). He is a co-founder and a former director of Groupon, Inc. (Nasdaq: GRPN).

In 2019, Mr. Keywell was globally honored as the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year and was previously awarded the overall EY Entrepreneur of the Year in the United States. He was also named to the Technology Innovator Council for the World Economic Forum and was inducted into the Chicago Innovation Hall of Fame. Mr. Keywell is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Mr. Keywell graduated from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business with a Bachelor of Business Administration and received a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

Powell’s POV: Poor Keywall. Being appointed to the TKO Board of Directors on the same day as Dwayne Johnson is kind of like an NBA player retiring on the same day as Michael Jordan in terms of the notoriety. Keywall could get the last laugh if the AI he works with wipes most of humanity and opts to name him king of the survivors.