Senior Vice President, Business Integration and Development at Wasserman
Thayer Lavielle, Senior Vice President of Business Integration and Development at Wasserman grew up with five brothers and a back and forth lifestyle between Mom and Dad that kept her moving. She says, “I am relatively fearless about things.” She talks about a difficult time she went through as a teenager however that makes her grateful today for the life she has.
To hear the full Women to Watch™ Media interview with Thayer, listen below.
Full Biography
Thayer Lavielle joined Wasserman in 2011 and currently leads global business development while working across the company to develop and integrate incremental growth opportunities. Working closely across brands, properties, media and talent, Lavielle continually identifies emerging trends in the global sports and entertainment industries, allowing her to create new areas of innovation and growth for the company. In her time Wasserman, Lavielle and her team have negotiated over $250 million in partnerships on behalf of clients.
Leading up to her business development role, Lavielle managed the staff and business around Wasserman’s brand retainer accounts. Her client work has spanned the globe across both sports and entertainment for key international clients such as PepsiCo, Microsoft, Diageo and American Express. During her tenure in that position, she managed a staff of 45 and revenue over $15 million, growing her accounts 10% year over year. Today, she reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer of Wasserman.
Lavielle has negotiated over $200 million worth of venue deals over her career, including stadium, arena, theaters and clubs. Well-versed in the industry of hospitality, she has been at the forefront of innovation in consumer engagement, including app development and integration, personalized experiences, retail integration, ticketing and talent participation through partnerships with AEG, Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, Staples Center and the 02 in London, as examples. She understands the ever-changing needs of a consumer and how a venue must answer that call.
Lavielle came to Wasserman from Brandthink, a full-service agency in Charlotte, NC, where, as a partner, she developed a number of projects for sports-related clients, ran event promotions for USA Cricket and managed pro-surfer Bethany Hamilton in her brand strategy and endorsements. Prior to Brandthink, Lavielle led the business initiatives of JR Motorsports where she played a role in developing the Dale Earnhardt Jr. brand. Duties included securing Xfinity race team sponsorships and Dale Jr. lifestyle partnerships, creating and managing his charitable foundation, growing and maximizing his fan activities and fan base, and building his production company and bar business from the ground up.
She began her career in journalism as a producer on World News Tonight and Good Morning America and transitioned into the marketing world, working on both the agency side and directly for brands. Her longest tenure was at L’Oreal where she held roles in PR, promotions and marketing for brands including Lancome, Cacharel and Lanvin.
Lavielle in on the Board of Advisors of Girl Rising, the Board of WISE Greater Raleigh, is a graduate of Colgate University and lives outside of Raleigh, NC with her husband and three children.
For more information regarding Thayer and Wasserman, check out the links below!
