The International Padel Cluster has appointed Michel Gogniat as Technical Secretary to advance its growth and internationalization efforts. This move aligns with the organization's upcoming 2026-28 Strategic Plan. Gogniat brings extensive experience from the sports industry.
The International Padel Cluster (CIP) announced the appointment of Michel Gogniat to the role of Technical Secretary, a position equivalent to Cluster Manager. In his inaugural message via the CIP newsletter, Gogniat referred to himself as Managing Director. He appears to be replacing Jaume Ferrer, who has served as Technical Secretary and Coordinator since May 2020, according to the CIP's online organization chart.
The CIP describes this appointment as a key phase in the padel sector's development, supporting its Strategic Plan 2026-28, which will be submitted for approval at the next general assembly. Gogniat currently works as an International Development Specialist with MG Consulting and owns Irigoienea, an inn in rural Navarra, Spain.
His professional background includes 11 years as Sales Director at Ternua Group through November 2025, seven years in the 1990s as International Marketing Manager or General Manager at Babolat, a racquet-sports brand. Additionally, he served one year as International Sales Consultant at AFYDAD, Spain's trade association for sports, and 12 years as Sales Marketing Manager at Import Arrasate, where he collaborated with brands like Astore, Ternua, El Corte Inglés, Forum Sport, and Intersport, negotiating deals in several European and Southeast Asian countries.
In his message, Gogniat outlined priorities for the coming months, including the World Padel Summit scheduled for May 26-28, development of ISO standards for padel courts, improvements in market data collection and analysis, establishment of an international network of mentors and ambassadors, relations with the International Padel Federation (FIP), sports tourism and club development, and internationalization of CIP members.
