Ornella Desirée Bellia is currently the Head of Legal Affairs at the Association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) in charge of legal issues concerning the common interests of the leagues at international level.

Ornella has gained valuable experience within the global sports industry having worked for an Italian top-division football club, leading law firms in Brazil, Spain, Italy and the U.K. and currently working for a sports institution in Switzerland.

She has specific experience with international transfer agreements, player employment contracts, image rights contracts, sponsorship and licensing agreements.

In academics, Ornella is a lecturer at Sports Law Masters in Spain, Switzerland and Italy, and has been a Guest Speaker at international conferences in Europe and the US.

She holds an LL.M in International Sports Law (Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economía - Madrid), Negotiation and Leadeship Diploma (Harvard Law School - Boston), and UEFA Women's Leadership Programme (Diploma - IMD Business School).

Ornella has also co-authored the books "Direito do Trabalho e Desporto Vol. II" - published in Brazil and "The FIFA Régulations on Working with Intermediaries. Implementation at National Level".

She is a member of the FIFA Players' Status Sub-Committee and Arbitrator at the Centro Brasileiro de Mediacao e Arbitragem.

Twitter: @desireebellia