David Llada Announces Candidacy for FIDE Council Vice President

David Llada, a former FIDE Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, has announced his candidacy for Vice President on the FIDE Council. The announcement was made as Llada seeks to bring greater commercial expertise and professional management to the 15-member body responsible for most major decisions between the Management Board and General Assembly.

Background and Qualifications

Llada served as FIDE’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer from 2019 to 2023. Following his tenure at FIDE, he held the position of Director of Communications at the Internet Chess Club. His background includes five years teaching chess in schools and an extensive career in chess journalism, contributing to several of the largest newspapers in the Spanish language and multiple chess magazines.

In 2004, Llada began founding, managing, and investing in various commercial enterprises. His business ventures span diverse sectors including electric vehicles, sports betting, import-export, football and sports management, and public relations. Most of these companies were similar in size and budget to what FIDE is today, according to his statement.

Reasons for Candidacy

Llada stated that his five years at FIDE allowed him to connect with people from around the world but also revealed missed opportunities, untapped potential, and poor decision-making within the organization. He argued that chess administration is largely run by former players who turned chess politics into a second career. While acknowledging these individuals as highly intelligent and hardworking, he noted they often have limited exposure to the private sector and a shaky grasp of marketing or commercial development.

The candidate emphasized that several marketing professionals, including himself, have left FIDE in recent years, either fired or resigned, unable to align with management. Llada described running as his way of bringing a commercial perspective and fresh thinking into the Council.

Independent Platform

Llada stressed that his candidacy is independent, unpaid, and not tied to any federation or bid for FIDE events. He stated he has no personal agenda and simply wants to help make chess’s governing body more modern and professional.

The FIDE Council makes decisions on matters ranging from event formats to participation policies. Llada is running for one of four Vice President seats elected directly by the General Assembly.

Source

This report is based on information published by Chessdom.

Official source: https://www.chessdom.com/david-llada-to-run-for-the-position-of-vice-president-on-the-fide-council/