Bobby Sharma

Bobby Sharma of Bluestone Equity

Bobby Sharma is the Founder & Managing Partner of Bluestone Equity Partners, a private equity firm headquartered in New York City. A globally recognized Sports, Media & Entertainment executive known for his achievements in finance, operations, strategy, and legal affairs, Bobby Sharma leverages his business experience and global network to cultivate partnerships that provide uniquely value-added capital to growth-stage businesses around the world.

Bobby Sharma earned his bachelor’s and law degree from Duke University, and began his career practicing law at major U.S. law firms, including Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. In 2002, he began working at the National Basketball Association, serving as Vice President & General Counsel of the NBA Development League, where he helped develop and lead the establishment of the NBA’s first minor league. He was responsible for all league and team businesses, operations, and legal matters, including franchise administration, broadcast, digital media, sponsorship, marketing, licensing, tickets, arenas, employment, anti-doping, and security. During his tenure at the NBA, the NBA Development League (now G-League) grew from a single-entity with 6 NBA League-owned teams, to 16 privately-held individual team businesses across the country, achieving significant business growth along the way.

From there, Bobby Sharma went to IMG, the global sports and media business, where he served as Senior Vice President, Global Head of Basketball & Strategic Initiatives. With an eye on emerging markets, he worked closely with IMG’s owner, Chairman & CEO, Private Equity visionary Ted  Forstmann, to build sports leagues and infrastructure for major sports organizations in countries such as India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey.

Bobby Sharma then co-founded advisory firms Blue Devil Holdings and Electronic Sports Group, serving as their Managing Partner. He then became Partner in GACP Sports, a Private Equity firm focused on European football, where he also served as the Vice Chairman & CEO of Soccerex, the world’s largest organizer of soccer business conferences.

Bobby Sharma serves on a wide variety of boards, including PMY Group, VideoVerse, the United States Tennis Association, USA Archery, and Goodwill Industries of NY & NJ.

Bobby Sharma’s rich experience and business acumen have led him to widespread recognition. He has been named one of the 25 Most Influential South Asian Executives in the Media & Entertainment Industry by Korn Ferry and a Sports & Entertainment Industry Power Player by the Sports Business Journal. He has also received the Rising Star Executive Award from Media Partners Global, the Basketball Federation of India Legacy Award and the Sports Counsel of the Year Award from the Association of Media & Entertainment Counsel.

A resident of Bronxville, NY, Sharma is a graduate of Duke University and Duke Law School, and completed the Harvard Business School executive program on the Business of Entertainment, Media & Sports.