Dharpan Randhawa: Inside the partnerships powering China’s next global brands

Commercial partnerships drive significant financial and creative value in the global sports industry, yet the architects behind these deals often go unrecognized. Dharpan Randhawa has built his career in this space, connecting global brands with strategic partners across multiple sectors. He has brokered partnerships across Formula One, global sports properties, and high-growth brands, spanning multiple markets and industries — from joining Crypto player Kraken with Tottenham Hotspur, to landing a multi-year partnership between Real Madrid and Roborock. At McLaren Racing and Sportfive (formerly Lagardère Sports), he worked with major sports properties, negotiating partnerships with Fortune 100 companies, sovereign investors, and technology firms. His approach prioritizes long-term brand relevance, commercial returns, and cultural impact. In 2021, he founded Talisman, a global brand partnerships and advisory firm operating across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the U.S. Talisman works with clients seeking partnerships in sport, entertainment, and emerging platforms. Through this work, Randhawa has developed relationships across five continents and deep expertise in markets including China. He advises on the future of sport, fan engagement strategies, and the integration of culture, equality, and sustainability in sports business. His mission is to electrify culture in sport and entertainment — and build the partnerships and platforms that define what comes next. Jing Daily: Tell us about the work you do at the intersection of brand, sport, and entertainment. What is your connection to China? Dharpan Randhawa: My career has been built at the intersection of global brands, elite sport, and entertainment, with a significant part of that journey rooted in Asia, and China specifically. I spent a number of years running McLaren’s Asia-Pacific business, where China was a core strategic market. Prior to that, I led Sportfive’s APAC operations, working closely with some of the region’s most ambitious brands and rights holders. Across both roles, I spent a significant amount of time each year in China, partnering with major Chinese companies and advising them on how to use global sports and entertainment platforms to build credibility and scale outside China. At the same time, I worked with Western rights holders and brands looking to enter China in a way that was culturally intelligent rather than transactional. That dual perspective shaped how I think about partnerships. I saw firsthand where global strategies failed in China, and where Chinese brands struggled to translate their strength and innovation into global brand equity. Today, as the founder of Talisman, I work globally with brands and rights holders to design partnerships that sit at the intersection of performance, culture, and commercial impact. Increasingly, that means helping Chinese brands expand internationally through sport and entertainment IP, and advising global brands on how to engage China with credibility, relevance, and long-term intent rather than short term exposure. JD: Why have sports and entertainment IP become such a powerful global growth lever for Chinese brands today? DR: Because they compress time and accelerate trust. Most Chinese brands entering Western markets face the same challenge. Their products are world class, their innovation is real, but their brand story is still unfamiliar. Sports and entertainment IP already carry emotional equity, cultural legitimacy, and global scale. When aligned properly, they allow brands to borrow credibility instantly rather than spending decades building it. What has changed is intent. Chinese brands are no longer satisfied being OEMs, or regional leaders. They want to define categories globally. Sports and entertainment IP operate above language, above borders, and above traditional advertising. They create belief at scale. When engineered correctly, these partnerships are strategic proof points that signal ambition, confidence, and permanence. JD: What mistakes do Chinese brands most commonly make when entering Western markets? DR: They mistake visibility for relevance. Many brands approach sponsorship as a media buy. Logos, impressions, reach. That logic no longer works in Western markets where consumers are highly attuned to authenticity and intent. People want to understand why a brand is present, not just that it is. The brands that struggle are the ones that sit on the surface of an IP. The brands that win embed themselves into performance, innovation, or fan experience. They contribute something tangible. When that happens, the partnership stops feeling like advertising and starts functioning as validation. That is the difference between being seen and being believed. JD: You recently advised on the Roborock and Real Madrid partnership. What made that deal different from a traditional sponsorship? DR: What mattered most in that partnership was the work done before anything was signed. We were very deliberate about bringing Roborock and Real Madrid together on multiple occasions, in person, and away from commercial discussions. It was important that the leadership teams spent real time in the same room, understanding how each organization thinks, how decisions are made, and what drives performance at the highest level. That process created alignment at a DNA level rather than a marketing level. Roborock is a high-tech Chinese technology company built around precision engineering, innovation, and an obsession with performance. Real Madrid operates with exactly the same mindset. Their success is not accidental. It is the result of relentless standards, constant evolution, and an expectation of excellence that permeates the entire organisation. When both sides recognised that shared mentality, the partnership became authentic rather than transactional. That authenticity is what allowed the relationship to move beyond surface exposure into something more strategic. The partnership was designed to tell a story about leadership, performance, and innovation on a global stage. It felt credible because it was rooted in genuine mutual respect. That is the difference between a traditional sponsorship and a partnership that has the potential to create long-term brand equity. I can’t wait to see this come to life in the weeks and months ahead. JD: What is the first thing a Chinese CMO should do when starting to think about entering a global sports or entertainment partnership? DR: The first thing they should do is slow down and get the strategy right, and ideally speak to someone who has done this many times before. Too often, brands jump straight to rights packages and inventory without defining what success actually looks like. The early work is about clarity. What markets matter most. What the brand stands for. Which audiences need to be influenced. Only then does sports or entertainment IP become a strategic tool rather than a line item. The CMOs who succeed treat these partnerships as business decisions, not marketing stunts. They invest time upfront, challenge assumptions, and work with partners who understand both global sport and Chinese brands. When that foundation is in place, everything that follows becomes more effective. This is exactly what my team and I do all day, everyday. JD: What do Western sports and entertainment organizations most often misunderstand when trying to do business in China? What they often misunderstand is not the market opportunity, but the culture of how business is actually done. Too many rights holders fly into China for a handful of meetings, deliver a polished presentation, and expect major investment decisions to be made quickly. That approach fundamentally misreads the market. In China, trust is built over time. Relationships matter. Shared context matters. Consistency matters. Commercial outcomes follow relationships, not the other way around. Having spent decades working in China, I have seen that the most successful partnerships are rooted in long-term commitment and personal relationships. Many of the brand leaders I first worked with years ago have since become lifelong friends. That depth of connection changes how business is done and what is possible. This is also why platforms like Jing Daily play such an important role. They help global brands understand the cultural landscape, the nuances of decision-making, and how to engage China with respect and intelligence. When that groundwork is in place, partnerships become far more meaningful and far more successful. JD: Looking ahead, which sports or entertainment platforms will matter most for connecting Chinese brands with global audiences? DR: The platforms that matter most are the ones that are genuinely global, culturally resonant, and able to operate seamlessly across physical and digital worlds. Formula One is a strong example, particularly with the Shanghai Grand Prix re-established as a key moment on the calendar. It sits at the intersection of technology, performance, sustainability, and luxury, all areas where Chinese brands are increasingly competitive. It also offers a truly global audience that allows brands to tell a consistent story across markets while activating locally. Global football, particularly the EPL, and the NBA remain two of the most powerful cultural platforms in the world, offering Chinese brands unrivaled scale, youth relevance, and year round storytelling that travels seamlessly between China and international markets. Beyond traditional sport, we are also seeing a clear shift toward celebrity and talent-led partnerships, where brands collaborate with athletes, artists, and creators to build bespoke intellectual property together. At Talisman, we operate at that intersection. We have deep relationships across global sports, leagues, teams, and talent, and we use that access to design partnerships that are strategic rather than opportunistic. That is where the market is moving, and that is where the most value will be created. JD: Finally, if you had to give one piece of advice for a Chinese founder or CMO looking to build a truly global brand through sport and entertainment, what would it be? DR: Think long term and think culturally, not transactionally. The brands that win globally are the ones that invest in relationships before they invest in assets. They take the time to understand the platforms they are partnering with, the audiences they are trying to reach, and the cultural signals they are sending. Sport and entertainment IP are incredibly powerful, but only when they are used with intent and discipline. Global brand building is not about being everywhere. It is about being relevant in the right places, with the right partners, over time. When that mindset is in place, sport and entertainment stop being marketing channels and start becoming strategic growth platforms. That is where real global brands are built.

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Dharpan Randhawa: Inside the partnerships powering China’s next global brands