Olga Polyakova

Dr. Olga Polyakova is a Principal Lecturer (Senior Lecturer) and Strategic Projects Lead at Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University, where she oversees research, partnerships, and course development in Events Management. Previously, she led the MSc Sport Business Management program at the university's Academy of Sport and Physical Activity and lectured at Huddersfield Business School. She holds a PhD in Business Studies, an LLM in International Sports Law, and dual undergraduate degrees from Bratsk State University.

Her research focuses on:

• Events Management and consumer experiences in recurring sport events
• Esports sponsorship dynamics and viewer behavior
• Service quality in fitness industries, including digital transformations
• Consumer psychology in sports marketing

Her publications consistently explore sports service innovation, with recent work emphasizing esports commercialization and participatory event design.

Awards & Honors:

• Russian President Scholarship (2009)
• Best Student in Business Project Management (Association for Project Management)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

She supervises postgraduate research in esports, fitness service quality, and sport consumer behavior, and collaborates with organizations like the NHS Foundation Trust. As an Inclusive Hallam Champion, she promotes diversity initiatives university-wide.