Oliver Hypolite-Bishop

PRODUCT LEADER

ENTREPRENEUR

PUBLIC SPEAKER | THOUGHT LEADER

Current Role: Senior Product Manager @ Hudl

WHO I AM

A product leader building the future of how sport is played, analysed and understood.

At Hudl—the leading sports technology company—I lead the teams shaping the future of American Football. The products my teams build are used by top college and NFL programs to scout talent and opposition, and gain a competitive edge.

My path into product hasn’t been typical — I started out leading major political campaigns, from the Mayor of London election to being the voice of business against Brexit, before moving into product. Since then, I’ve built products in sport, education, sustainability and public policy. That range has shaped how I work: I blend creativity with strategic thinking, user empathy and clear storytelling to build products people believe in and teams are excited to bring to life.

how i work

Big ideas. Clear direction. A story people get behind.

I get people behind clear, ambitious ideas and push them through to delivery. I build deep understanding of the customer, not just what they do in the product, but what drives and motivates them. That insight becomes a story that teams believe in and users connect with.

I simplify complex problems, make strong decisions and keep momentum high. The strategy matters — but so does the story. Both need to land if a product’s going to take off.

When blockers show up, I shift the conversation, reset priorities and get the right people in the room to move things forward.

My background in policy, campaigns and marketing shaped how I think about positioning, storytelling and user empathy — if I can understand what motivates politicians, I can understand anyone!

what I BRING TO A TEAM

Sharp product sense. leadership. Vision.

  • Strong product instincts shaped by a varied, hands-on career

  • Clear, steady leadership that gets teams aligned, inspired and moving

  • Exemplary storytelling that builds belief and momentum — Once referred to as Steve Jobs, with dreadlocks

  • Clarity on direction and priorities, even in the mess

  • The right tempo — urgency when needed, calm when it counts

  • A bias for action, and a record of getting things over the line

  • A commitment to mentoring others and helping them grow

Recent products i’ve built and led

  • Hudl Recruit: Season Stats

    A 0→1 scouting tool built for top college football programs. I led the end-to-end product build—from vision to launch—creating a faster, smarter way to discover high school talent. Recruit+ connects season stats, verified game speed, and video, helping recruiters cut through the noise and find the right athletes. Described as a game-changer for the industry now used over 5x a week by every FBS team.

  • Hudl Sportscode Elite

    Led the development of core features for Hudl Sportscode, the leading video analysis tool in elite sport. Working closely with pro teams and analysts, I shipped livestreaming for remote workflows, presentation recording for off-site coaching, tactical heatmaps, and advanced search tools to help teams surface key moments faster. These features deepened Sportscode’s role in high-performance environments—from Premier League clubs to Olympic programmes.

  • BT Skills For Tomorrow

    A digital education platform built from scratch to close the UK’s digital skills gap. I led the product from concept to launch—designing a platform that reached over 10 million users across schools, families and jobseekers. Delivered in partnership with Google, BBC and others, it became a flagship initiative for BT’s social impact work and rebranding.

products I’ve built outside the day job

  • Better Form AI

    Better Form is a mobile app that uses pose estimation and AI to give athletes clear, coach-like feedback on their training form.

    www.getbetterform.com

  • Hikes With Friends

    Hikes With Friends

    A content series and streetwear project shaped by a growing culture of younger people — especially millennials and Gen Z — turning to nature as a break from screens. Each episode is a walk-and-talk through the woods, where I speak to people I rate about things that matter. The clothes reflect the same energy: forest tones, simple graphics, and a focus on community over hype.

    hikeswithfriends.co

  • The Calabash Group

    A culture-led business bringing African and diasporic food, drink and tradition into the spotlight. We import and distribute premium drinks from producers across the continent and the diaspora — connecting underrepresented products with new audiences in hospitality and retail. We started Calabash to bridge a gap we saw in the industry, where incredible stories and flavours weren’t getting the platform they deserved.

    thecalabash.group

  • Flight Club Ldn

    Flight Club turned speed and explosiveness into a sport of its own. While CrossFit and Hyrox made fitness competitive, raw power was still just training. We built a format around plyometrics, speed and explosive power - running sessions and exhibitions at Gymbox, and launching the Flight Club Games to test athleticism directly

  • hungry season

    Hungry Season was a sponsorship platform for athletes—before NIL was a thing. We created a digital space where brands and athletes could connect, collaborate, and build meaningful campaigns. Profiles combined sport, stats, social following, and career info to help athletes get discovered. We worked with UK Sport and EIS to shape the product, and signed up over 1,000 athletes to the beta.

  • Frameshakers

    Frameshakers is a creative collective focused on calisthenics, streetlifting and movement culture. I co-founded the brand in 2019 and led its storytelling—shaping the narrative and voice behind the content.

    We’ve partnered with brands like Nike, Steel Warriors and PlayerLayer, and hosted events across the UK that brought the community together through training, culture and creativity.

relevant work experience

  • Leading Hudl’s expansion into the American Football market, focused on recruitment and analysis workflows. Scaled multiple product squads, launched new video tools and developed core features to support college and NFL teams.

  • Built a 0→1 scouting product for college football recruiters—focused on surfacing the right athletes faster through new video and data workflows. Now used by all top DI programs 5x a week

  • Delivered key feature updates to Hudl Sportscode, the leading analysis tool in elite sport. Shipped livestreaming, tactical heatmaps, presentation recording, advanced search and more — used by professional sports teams across the world from the Premier League to AFL.

  • Led digital transformation projects for one of the UK’s largest councils. Delivered new platforms to improve access to public services and increase digital adoption across 2M+ residents.

  • Built and launched BT’s national digital skills platform—used by over 10 million people across schools, families and job seekers. Positioned BT as a leader in digital learning through partnerships with Google, BBC and others.

    • Head of Digital - Fourfront Group | London | Mar 2018 – Dec 2018

    • Digital Communications Manager - Confederation of British Industry (CBI) | London | May 2016 – Mar 2018

    • Senior Policy Adviser / Senior Campaigns Adviser - Confederation of British Industry (CBI) | London | Mar 2013 – May 2018

Outside of work

Training

As a former TeamGB American Football captain, I’ve always thrived in competitive environments. These days, I focus on calisthenics, street lifting and explosive strength - pushing what my body can do keeps my mind sharp.

Coaching

As a former Team GB American Football captain, I coach elite athletes across strength, speed and mindset—drawing on years competing at the top level. Whether it’s calisthenics, American football, Olympic lifting or track and field, I help people build power, sharpen technique and push past their limits.

Community

I’m passionate about driving social change and contributing to conversations on race, class and inequality. My insights are featured in Parliamentary commissions and publications like The Metro. I’ve delivered keynotes for organisations including Aviva, BT, Lululemon and the Met Police.

Mentoring

In the tech community, I mentor emerging talent from underrepresented backgrounds. I’m a member of Black Product Managers, a contributing writer at Product School and a product mentor at ADPList.

Board membership

I’ve held board positions with several organisations, including the Spirit of London Awards and The Cares Family. I care deeply about impact, representation and creating space for younger generations to thrive in business and sport.

Writing

  • https://metro.co.uk/2021/08/06/10-years-on-why-dont-we-talk-about-the-london-riots-15035042/

  • https://www.vortexa.com/people/celebrating-black-history-month/

What it’s like to work with me

  • Rain Newton-Smith, Chief Executive, CBI

    A thoughtful and inspiring speaker with knowledge across business, public policy and bringing communities together. Highly recommended.

  • Kerensa Jennings, NED & ex-BBC, BT

    I had the immense pleasure of working with Oliver a couple of years ago. He has a charismatic presence and a uniquely compelling way of influencing and persuading. As a product person, he cares relentlessly about whether what he is doing, making or saying is creating a positive impact on the world.

    He was invaluable in helping people in our teams in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. He shared insight - often with great personal courage - and made a difference to the way people felt and behaved.

    I think whatever he turns his hand at, he will make a success of it. He has drive, passion and empathy. A powerful combination.

  • Lewis Owusu-Afriyie - Director, Pitchbook

    Oliver has spoken at two of our corporate events and has blown us all away each time.

    He takes great care in his preparation, approach, engagement and overall delivery. Not only does he approach each delivery with a new thought provoking angle, he also leaves us with actionable steps we can carry out to make a difference in our immediate circles and communities.

  • Annmarie Holligian, BT DEI Lead

    Standout Speaker!
    As part of BT Group’s Ethnic Diversity Network, I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Oliver on numerous speaking events over the past 4 years, most recently Oliver hosted a black-owned business panel for BT during BHM2023. I’ve been continually impressed by Oliver's ability to engage an audience with his unique mix of intellect, wit, personal reflection, and always nailing the subject matter. Oliver can create a vibe and atmosphere with an audience that keeps them enthralled. I cannot recommend Oliver highly enough and look forward to working with him again soon.