Second Half — Turning 30 Years in Economics and Diplomacy Into a Global Football Federation

Career Reinvention Through Sport: How Albert Zbily turned 30 years in economics and international development into a global corporate football federation.

Albert Zbily spent more than 30 years as a macroeconomist and advisor, working with the Canadian Department of Finance, the World Bank, the U.S. Department of State and PricewaterhouseCoopers, before turning his passion for football into a second act. For the past decade Albert has bridged that experience in international development and business with the game, building FIFCO into the world governing body of corporate football. The move was not a break from the first career but a reuse of it: partnership building, change management and economic thinking applied to an amateur sport. Listeners leave with a practical way to see how decades of expertise can power a pivot into the work they love.

About Albert Zbily

Albert Zbily, podcast guest

President, Fédération Internationale de Football Corporatif (FIFCO)

30+ years Experience across government, business and sport67 countries Countries where FIFCO operates150,000+ companies Companies across FIFCO network8th edition Corporate World Cup edition

Albert Zbily is President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Corporatif (FIFCO), the world governing body of corporate football, and a keynote speaker, advisor and entrepreneur based in Montreal. With more than 30 years of progressive experience across government, international development, business and sports diplomacy, he brings a macro-level view of how organizations build partnerships, motivate people and create meaningful international connections.

Albert began his career as a macroeconomist and has worked with institutions including the Canadian Department of Finance, the World Bank, the U.S. Department of State and PricewaterhouseCoopers. His background spans development policy, economic analysis, change management, strategic advisory work and business development. He has also taught graduate-level courses in international business strategy, entrepreneurship, emerging markets and import/export trade at McGill University.

For the past decade, Albert has focused on bridging his passion for football with his experience in international development and business. Through FIFCO, he has built a worldwide federation for companies and employees who believe sport can promote healthy lifestyles, inter-company networking, team spirit and the amateur game. FIFCO hosts a corporate World Cup that brings employees from around the world onto the football pitch, giving people who may spend most of their working lives behind screens the chance to compete, connect and represent their companies and countries.

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