Michael Cole

Michael was appointed as the first CTO for the PGA European Tour in November 2017, and sits on the Executive Leadership Team. His responsibility extends across Business Systems, IT and Digital Infrastructure, Data Management and Scoring Systems, and includes the Official World Golf Rankings. His most recent accomplishment with the European Tour was the delivery of the technology infrastructure for the world-renowned Ryder Cups in Paris (2018) and Rome (2023).

Prior to joining the European Tour, Michael was the London 2012 Marketing and Communications Director for BT Global Services, where he was responsible for their award-winning Olympic and Paralympic Games technology and marketing campaign worldwide.

From there he went on in a consultative role to advise Organising Committees and technology sponsors for the Olympic Games, including Rio2016, Pyeongchang 2018 and Tokyo2020, as well as the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Michael has worked extensively within the sports sector since 2007, and with over 25 years of experience in the technology industry, remains a regular speaker at international sporting conferences as a global thought-leader discussing the impact of technology and commercial programmes on major sporting events.

Michael is a former member of the Paralympics Ireland advisory commercial board and UK Government’s Department for International Trade Global Sports Advisory Council and a current business adviser to StreetGames, a British-based sports charity, and as well founded and chairs two industrywide initiatives, the #GolfTech and #SportsTech forums, formed with other sporting body CTOs.