Bobby Sharma

Founder & Managing Partner

Bobby Sharma is the Founder & Managing Partner of Bluestone Equity Partners, an institutionally backed private equity firm focused on the global Sports, Media & Entertainment industry.

Sharma founded Bluestone to bring institutional private equity discipline to a dynamic sector where strategic capital, sector expertise, operating insight, and governance discipline can help founder-led and management-led companies scale and create durable enterprise value.

Before founding Bluestone, Sharma served as Partner at GACP Sports, a sports-focused private equity firm, investing in and working with scalable sports-related businesses. He also served as Vice Chairman & CEO of Soccerex, a GACP Sports portfolio company and the world’s leading business events and media company for the global football industry. Earlier, he served as Chairman & CEO of Blue Devil Holdings, an investment and advisory firm focused on sports, media, entertainment, and other growth businesses.

Prior to GACP Sports, Sharma was SVP, Global Head of Basketball & Strategic Initiatives at IMG, the premier international sports, fashion, and media company. At IMG, he led global basketball and strategic initiatives, including the creation, commercialization, and growth of sports properties, leagues, federations, and development initiatives in major international markets. His work included basketball, soccer, and cricket properties; national teams and federations; grassroots and elite development programs; media rights; sponsorship; event infrastructure; and financial, commercial, and franchise models across markets including India, Brazil, China, Turkey, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.

Before IMG, Sharma spent nearly a decade with the NBA Development League, now the NBA G League, serving as VP & General Counsel and one of the senior executives responsible for building and institutionalizing the NBA’s first minor league. He oversaw business, legal, operational, and strategic matters; worked on franchise administration, team ownership, media, sponsorship, marketing, licensing, tickets, arenas, employment, and compliance; and handled corporate transactional matters for the NBA, WNBA, and NBA Development League. During his tenure, the NBA Development League grew from a single-entity structure with six NBA-owned regional teams into 16 privately held team businesses, while expanding its role as a player, coach, referee, and executive development pipeline for the NBA. He also led the creation of the NBA’s first international league consulting business unit.

Sharma began his professional career practicing law, including with Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in New York City, and earlier served on the presidential campaign staff of former U.S. Senator and Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Bradley.

Sharma’s board service spans private companies, nonprofits, and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Bodies. His governance experience includes investment oversight, audit, nominating, endowment, real estate, brand, and mission-driven sport.

A frequent speaker at universities, conferences, and in global media, Sharma has been recognized as a Sports & Entertainment Industry Power Player by Sports Business Journal, one of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business by the Asian American Business Development Center, one of the 25 Most Influential South Asian Executives in Media & Entertainment by Korn Ferry, and a recipient of the Basketball Federation of India Legacy Award. He is a graduate of Duke University and Duke Law School, and completed the Harvard Business School Executive Education program on the Business of Entertainment, Media & Sports.