The ROAR Podcast: Ferran Prieto — The ROAR Podcast

When Pau Gasol went looking for someone to run his business in 2015, he wasn't looking for a sports insider. He wanted someone who could be Catalan in Barcelona, Spanish in Madrid, and American in the U.S., and who understood investing, startups, and leadership. He found that in Ferran Prieto, a Barcelona-born engineer whose career ran through the automotive industry, General Motors' corporate strategy and venture team, and Dan Gilbert's startup ecosystem.

Nearly eleven years later, Ferran is CEO and Managing Director of Gasol 16 Ventures and Managing Partner at Everest Advisory Services. In this conversation with Caroline Valvardi, he explains why athletes in the U.S. are years ahead of their European counterparts in building businesses during their careers, and what cultural pressures keep many European stars quiet until retirement. He breaks down the three pillars of Gasol 16 Ventures: Pau's institutional role in sports, including the Olympic movement; the Gasol Foundation's work against childhood obesity; and a business arm spanning brand partnerships, advisory work, and investments across sports, health, and wellness.

Ferran also shares where he sees the biggest opportunities in sports as an asset class. He's bullish on women's sports and on the WNBA, where he invested early. He explains why investors increasingly want to know whether a team controls the real estate around its venue. And he looks at MotoGP and select startup leagues. He discusses how data and AI help him compare deals, why confidentiality and human review still matter, and the advice he gives athletes: use your platform while you're competing, because the window closes faster than you think.

In this episode:

Ferran's path from automotive engineering to running Pau Gasol's business
The differences between U.S. and European athletes as business leaders
Why honesty and "earning your role every day" sustain long-term athlete relationships
Inside Gasol 16 Ventures and Everest Advisory Services
The investment case for women's sports and the WNBA
Sports-anchored real estate and why owning your venue matters more as valuations rise
How AI is changing deal evaluation, and where to stay cautious
Leadership lessons and career advice for active athletes

00:00 Welcome and Spain's World Cup win
02:00 Ferran's path
04:25 Founding Everest and helping athletes plan for life after sports
05:34 Athletes as business leaders
08:43 What makes athlete relationships last
11:47 Inside Gasol 16 Ventures
16:06 Everest Advisory Services
17:24 Where the investment opportunities are
19:58 Sports-anchored real estate
22:07 Finding markets where athletes have an unfair advantage
24:37 How data and AI shape deal evaluation
27:41 Using AI responsibly

31:48 The passion of sports and the athlete's superpower
37:36 The early WNBA bet and the league's rise
39:44 Leadership philosophy and advice for active athletes
43:39 Wrap-up