Shenzhen, China: PacificPine Sports, a leading provider of sports education in China, has appointed Justin Chen as Senior Vice President of Business Development, overseeing the Group’s business development efforts.

Chen joins PacificPine Sports from International Management Group (IMG) where he served as Director of Golf and Head of China Golf Operations as well as Tournament Director of the WGC-HSBC Champion since 2016. 

Chen spent 10 years at IMG and brings more than 13 years of sports management experience to PacificPine Sports.

Chen will report to Joel Haines and Raymond Roessel, co-CEOs at PacificPine Sports, a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

Frank Au, Chairman of PacificPine Sports, said: “We’re thrilled to add someone of Justin’s stature to our senior management team. He will undoubtedly play a critical role in helping to lead our business development efforts as we continue to grow our business both geographically to more cities, as well as vertically to more sports beyond our core sports of golf, basketball, football and tennis.”

While at IMG, Chen developed as an executive over, rising to the position of Director of Golf, overseeing all IMG’s golf business in China. 

During his time at IMG, Chen oversaw the co-ordination and execution of various IMG events, primarily focusing on the WGC-HSBC Champions, the PGA Tour’s premier event in Asia.

Chen also supported other events and initiatives across Asia Pacific, including multiple LPGA and other mass participation events.

Roessel said: “I’m excited to be working with Justin again. We were previously colleagues at World Sport Group and I hold him in the highest regard. Justin will be a huge asset to the Group in helping to drive managed facilities, partnerships and government relations.”

Chen is a graduate of Beijing Sports University with a Bachelors degree in Sports Management/Golf Management in 2007. He continued his education at Scotland’s Elmwood College, earning a Professional Development Award in Golf Management, also in 2007. 

While in high school, Chen competed for Guangdong’s provincial team as a 400-metre hurdler and played football from a young age.

As a devoted father of three, an avid golfer, and ardent fan of the NBA and Serie A football, Chen brings with him a burning passion for sports and an understanding as a parent that will help the Group achieve its mission of bringing world-class sports education to China’s youth.

Haines said: “Justin will be an integral member of our senior management team, leading both our school partnership development team and our new business development team. 

“Justin will help us to execute our vision of engaging China’s youth with world-class structured sports programmes and growing our grass-roots to elite athlete development across all of our sports.”

PacificPine Sports Group is a nationwide leading multi-sport youth academy programme in China and provides a range of programming including after-school activities, club sports, leagues/tournaments, and holiday camps as well as facility/vendor management services. 

PacificPine Sports currently operates in four core sports of basketball, golf, tennis and football with over 6,000 students, over 70 coaches and over 70 locations in 11 cities nationwide.

In basketball, PacificPine Sports operates under the Five-Star Basketball brand. In golf, PacificPine Sports operates under the PGA Youth Academy brand.