KitKing

Chief Executive Officer

A. MISTRY GROUP

Building brands for home, health and holiday since 1976. Through acquisition and long term partnerships. 

Our portfolio:
KitKing.co.uk
TheHotWaterBottleShop.com
Coronation - Hot Water Bottles.
Aqua Safe - Swimming Acc.
La Siesta Hammocks
Noke - World's First Bluetooth Padlock & Bike Lock.
Kids Travel 2 Luggage.

Owners of KitKing.co.uk & Thehotwaterbottleshop.com, Kidstravel2.co.uk

Global Business Development Director & Investor (SME) 

WarsopCricketCoaching.com

Head Coach

Nottingham Trent University

Part Time Lecturer - Business & Marketing

Leicestershire County Cricket Club

Head Coach - U17 & U19 girls

D.i.P.S. Consultancy (Digital, internet of things, Products & Services)

Consulting startups & multi-national corporations (e.g. Reckitt Benckiser Group plc) on digital connected products & services - and how to go to market:

eCommerce/ Omni Channel Retailing
Ideation & Innovation 
Go-To-Market Strategy
Product Development
Product & Digital Marketing
Licensing

Consultant

Loughborough University

Elected by the Alumni to aid strategic thinking to Alumni Board.

Alumni Board Member

MCCU Assistant Head Coach

Teaching, Performance analysis sports on the world renowned Sports Science degree programme.

Responsible for teaching, assessment and setting exam papers. (Part time role)

Lecturer: Analysis Performance Sports

MISTRY & CO. LIMITED

www.mistryandco.com

The first Indian food brand to receive 3 stars in the Great Taste Award for our first product Little Dabbas.

Co-Founder

Speedo International Ltd

Responsible for the introduction of digital products within Speedo. Commercialising innovation developed by Speedo Aqualab and driven by consumer insight. Filed global patent for connected swimming device. 

Classic product management responsibilities of facilitating design, development and go-to-market for Speedo connected/digital products and wearable technologies.

Digital Product Manager

Utilising Speedo Aqualab technologies alongside consumer insight to develop commercial innovative product and marketing propositions. These propositions were presented to Speedo Global Brand Leadership Team enabling Speedo to make informed decisions regarding new product and proposition development.

Global Product Manager - New Product Development

Managing licensed contract, category & product management of Speedo Internationals Global Licensed Partners and exploring new licensing opportunities.
G.L.P. Categories include:
•Digital - Speedo Aquabeat MP3 Player & Aquashot Camera
•Optical - Sunglasses & Optical Frames
•Team Kit
•Timing - Speedo Aquacoach
•Wetsuits, Personal floatation devices & Bodyboards
•Bags & Accessories

• 2011 Pentland Group Chairman’s Award for World Class Brand Building & Product Innovation. Award for the successful launch of the Speedo Aquacoach Watch and Aquabeat MP3 player.

Global Product Manager: Licensed & Tactical Business

Canterbury of New Zealand

• Global Product Manager all Men’s Apparel (rugby & sports lifestyle) equating to approx. 27% of the EMEA business turnover. 
• Understanding and delivering product requirements for EMEA and lead direction for Global markets.
• Implemented global SMU process in order to maximize commerciality of product mix.
• Negotiated and signed sponsorship/licensed agreements with Hampshire & Yorkshire County Cricket Clubs & New Zealand Domestic & International Teams. Contractual, product management and sports marketing responsibilities for Cricket.
• Managing seasonal product mix for Canterbury/Guinness (Diageo PLC) for 3 year license agreement.

Global Product Manager: Men’s Apparel & Cricket

• Global Product Manager for Bags & Accessories.
• Product Management of Cricket & Tees line. 
• Transferred for 6 months to Australian office. Resulted in New Zealand cricket licensed sponsorship agreement.
•Create & Implementing EMEA Golf, Hockey & Football guerrilla marketing strategy incorporating buzz marketing.
• Product placement/buzz marketing within TV/Film industry.

Product Marketing Manager: Cricket & Bags/Accs & Tees

• Sat within product management team, with sports marketing responsibility. 
• Create and implement buzz marketing/product placement strategy for Canterbury Base layer. 
• Create and implement UK & Global Sales Strategy for Canterbury Base layer for Cricket channels. 
• Gaining exposure during the 2005 famous ashes series leading to consumer demand.
• Negotiate and signed a 3 year Base layer sponsorship with Surrey County Cricket Club.

Assistant Product Marketing Manager

Experienced investor and CEO with a demonstrated history of working in the consumer goods industry within a number of global brands. Specialising in Sporting Goods. 

A breadth of experience as an investor supporting start-ups through to retirement and distressed sales.

Proven ability to deliver results and inspire transformation in Marketing, Digital Strategy, Product Development & Innovation, Commercial Negotiation, Ecommerce & Wholesale Sales, Management, Licensing, Distributor Management, Account Management and Business Development. 

Specialties: 
SME M&A
Business Turnaround
Commercial Management
Strategic Planning
Business Development & International Business
Licensing
Contractual Negotiations
Partner Management
Category & Product Management
Leading managing and motivating a team
eCommerce
Sales, National Account & Global Account Management
Mentoring & Coaching roles to support talent pipeline

It’s not often a pre-match walkout leaves you emotional, but this one did. 

Before kick-off between England and Wales, 22 adults living with dementia walked out alongside the players, part of the FA’s partnership with Alzheimer’s Society.

It wasn’t the usual mascots we see… but maybe that’s exactly why it mattered so much.

Each person represented the millions living with dementia, a condition that quietly affects so many families.

Moments like this remind me what sport is really about:

→ It’s not just competition.
→ It’s connection & belonging.
→ It’s using the biggest stage to give a voice to people whose stories often go unseen.

Football often has the power to shine a light where it’s needed most.

Dips Patel

CEO of KitKing & KitQueen | Investor | Bestselling Author

In 1996, Reebok paid $50 million to sponsor the Atlanta Olympic Games and thought they hit the jackpot.

Then Nike stole the show with a killer marketing stunt.

The Atlanta Olympics were supposed to be Reebok’s moment.

They’d poured millions into sponsorship deals, expecting their brand to dominate the world stage.

But when Michael Johnson stepped onto the track, all eyes were on one thing: 

His golden shoes. Custom-made by Nike, they were impossible to ignore.

And when Johnson didn’t just win gold but smashed the world record, that image became iconic.

Reebok was the sponsor, but Nike owned the moment.

Outside the stadium, Nike handed out thousands of branded flags.

So when the cameras panned across the crowd, all anyone saw was a sea of swooshes.

The result? 👀

→ 22% of Americans thought Nike were the official Olympic sponsor.
→ Only 16% named Reebok correctly.
→ Nike’s sales jumped 22%.

Reebok sued, but the damage was done.

A reminder that branding isn’t about who spends the most… it’s about who captures the moment.

And in 1996, Nike did exactly that.

Sometimes the smallest gestures can make the biggest difference 

An image caught my attention recently: “Is there a mate missing around the table? Reach out to him.”

It doesn’t need clever wording or a campaign behind it, just a truth we all know deep down.

- We all have someone who’s gone quiet.
- Someone we haven’t checked in on for a while.
- Someone who might be struggling, but would never say it out loud.

And the reality is, men are often the worst for this.

We bottle things up, keep busy, and tell ourselves we’re fine.

But a quick call, a message, or grabbing a coffee, that can change everything.

Because sometimes, showing up for someone isn’t about grand gestures.

It’s about being there, quietly, consistently, when it matters most.

If you’ve got someone on your mind today, don’t overthink it, just reach out.

You might just make a bigger difference than you realise.

Family businesses are often seen as slow, emotional, and outdated.

But they’re the ones quietly beating corporate giants year after year.

And there’s a reason why ⤵️

→ They think long-term.
→ They care deeply about people.
→ And they make decisions based on legacy, not quarterly results.

When I joined a family business years ago, the numbers didn’t make sense on paper.

It was messy, emotional, and full of history. 

But what I quickly learned was this:

→ You can’t measure trust, loyalty, or shared values on a spreadsheet.

Those things are the real competitive advantage.

Because when it’s your family name above the door, every decision matters.

You don’t chase quick wins, you build something that lasts.

And that’s exactly the mindset I brought into KitKing:

→ Invest in people before profits.
→ Make decisions that will stand the test of time.
→ Build relationships that outlast the transaction.

It’s those same family values, courage, creativity, passion, learning, and loyalty, that have helped us grow from a local teamwear supplier into one of the UK’s most trusted names in kit manufacturing.

The truth is, the best businesses don’t act like corporations, they act like families.

Millions in the bank. 3 major trophies. England Player of the Year.

Yet Saka knows there’s 1 thing that matters more than all of those achievements…

→ The impact he has on the younger generation.

He recently returned to his old primary school, the same place where children now talk about him as their role model.

And their reaction said everything.

Smiles. Excitement. Belief.

Moments like that show why sport is about far more than results.

Because every player, coach, or volunteer has the power to shape the next generation.

It’s not the medals or headlines that make a difference… it’s the example we set.

Seeing someone who once walked the same halls as you now doing incredible things?

That’s what inspires the next generation to chase their dreams.

Being a good leader isn’t about being perfect.

And over time, and through plenty of mistakes, I’ve realised that leadership doesn’t mean 

- having all the answers
- never doubting yourself
- you have to be the only one holding it all together 

The best leaders I’ve met, in sport and business, don’t lead through perfection…
They lead through honesty. 

They’re the ones who’ll hold their hands up and say:

→ “I got that wrong.”
→ “They had a better idea than me.”
→ “I don’t know the answer, but let’s figure it out together.”

When I first took over KitKing, I wanted to be the problem-solver, the fixer, the one who could do it all.

But the truth is, that mindset holds people back. It stops them growing. And it stops you leading.

Real leadership is about creating space for others to rise, not standing in the spotlight yourself.

The older I get, the more I believe this: 

→ Strong leaders don’t pretend to be flawless.

They just keep showing up, with courage, humility, and the willingness to learn out loud.

Because people don’t need you to be perfect, they just need you to be real.

Nike didn’t make the 2025 Chicago Marathon about pace, records, or finish lines… 

They made it about people and community.

Thousands of runners, all wearing their own stories, not just Nike gear.

From first-timers chasing a dream to veterans running in memory of someone they lost.

Nike’s campaign didn’t focus on what they were selling; it focused on who they were speaking to.

No celebrity endorsements. No gimmicks. No salesy messaging.

Just a celebration of a global running community that felt like family.

Because that’s the real magic of sport.

It’s not about being the fastest, it’s about being part of something bigger than yourself.

And Nike reminded us that belonging, not branding, is what people buy into.

Last week, Nottingham Forest showed football at its very best.

They welcomed Stephen Crean, a 61-year-old Forest fan who was severely injured while protecting passengers during the Huntingdon train attack, to the City Ground.

Stephen received a standing ovation, a seat in the directors’ box, and a £10,000 donation from the club towards his recovery.

In a time when football can feel divided by rivalries, this was something different.

A moment that cut through the noise, where every fan, no matter the colour they wear, stood together in respect.

That’s what football should always be about.

Full credit to Forest for recognising Stephen’s bravery!

As a grassroots coach, you can change lives for the better… 

Or lead the next generation down the wrong path.

Because kids don’t just listen to what we say, they watch what we do.

Whether it’s on the field, in the classroom, or at home… every action sets an example.

That’s why a grassroots coach’s actions matter so much more than most people realise.

Because when a coach steps onto that field, they’re not just teaching skills, they’re shaping character.

→ How to handle defeat with grace.
→ How to respect teammates and opponents.
→ How to stay disciplined when no one’s watching.

And those lessons stick, sometimes for life.

If we want the next generation to make better choices, on the road, in life, and for each other, it starts here.

With adults who model responsibility, respect, and integrity in the everyday moments.

Every practice, every game, every conversation is a chance to set that standard.

Because the truth is, the next generation won’t become what we tell them to be…

They’ll become what we show them to be.

The true purpose of football isn’t winning… 

It’s giving back to the community that made the club what it is today. 

A photo of a Manchester United fan celebrating Benjamin Šeško’s goal went viral online.

His reaction mirrored what the entire crowd felt in that moment and it caught the attention of Šeško’s agency, who set out to find him.

They did, and Šeško invited him to Carrington to meet him and the team.

A small gesture that meant the world to the fan.

Because football isn’t just about the players on TV, it’s about the people behind the scenes who are pushing the club forward.

That’s what makes it special!

We’re about to see the number of grassroots players double over the next decade…

But here’s the problem, the number of facilities isn’t doubling with them.

Women’s and girls’ participation is booming across football, cricket and countless other sports.

Every week, more clubs are forming new teams, and more parents are driving their daughters to training.

But while the enthusiasm’s there, the infrastructure isn’t.

Clubs are battling for pitch time, and when push comes to shove, the women’s and girls’ teams are often left with the 10pm slots on cold Tuesday nights.

It’s not about intent, most clubs want to support the growth of women’s sport.

It’s about capacity.

Until investment in facilities matches the pace of participation, equality in sport will remain a headline, not a habit.

If we want the next generation of girls to believe football, cricket, or rugby is for them…

We can’t just make space in the schedule, we have to build it.

We need to see more brands doing stuff like this ⤵️

Palace and Nike have just brought a new kind of project to life in South London.

A historic Victorian bathhouse has been transformed into a free-to-access community space, complete with a skatepark, football cage and gallery.

→ Not an exclusive event.
→ Not a glossy campaign with celebrity faces.
→ Just a genuine investment in a local community.

That’s what matters.

Because when brands put money into facilities like this, they’re not just creating spaces, they’re creating opportunity.

Places where kids can play, connect and dream a little bigger.

For me, that’s what sport is all about.

And it’s great to see big names remembering that too.

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