Bord, Bin Jamil and Roemer - What we know about Sheffield Wednesday's named consortium members
Three of the men involved in a consortium looking to buy Sheffield Wednesday have been revealed, but what do we know about James Bord, Felix Roemer and Alsharif Faisal Bin Jamil?
Bord’s name is one that we’ve known for a little while now, ever since the administrators confirmed that a preferred bidder had been selected. But on Tuesday evening there were two other names revealed to be part of his bid to buy the Owls, and they’re not ones that fans are particularly familiar with.
The club is in the EFL vetting stage of the administration process right now, and if passed - as expected - it will see the group take control of Wednesday having put forward the highest bid to administrators at Begbies Traynor... The consortium has been described as ‘privately funded’, with Bord and Roemer the ones leading it - while Bin Jamil is the chief executive.
More information will undoubtedly come to light in the coming days and weeks now that the names have been put forward, and the ‘Notice of extension of time to deliver administrator's proposals’ being extended until February 27th suggests that there could still be a way to go before any sort of finalisation.
For now, though, here’s what we could find on the trio so far...
James Bord
James Bord is an English entrepreneur whose career spans professional poker, finance, data science, and football club ownership. Born in 1981 and raised in north London, the 44-year-old began his professional life in banking, working for institutions including Citigroup. He left finance in his mid-20s to pursue poker full-time, quickly establishing himself as one of the UK’s most successful players of his generation. His most notable achievement came in 2010 when he won the World Series of Poker Europe Main Event, earning more than $1.3 million and becoming the first British player to claim the title. Over his career, Bord accumulated millions in tournament winnings.
Following his poker success, Bord transitioned into technology and analytics, going on to found Short Circuit Science. The company positions itself as a data science and artificial intelligence firm applying advanced analytical techniques across several sectors, including sports analytics, medical prescription technology and climate-related modelling. While Short Circuit maintains a relatively low public profile compared with larger analytics firms, it has been most visible through its work in professional football.
Short Circuit’s sports division focuses on football analytics, reportedly using computer vision, machine learning and performance data to assess players, teams and tactical systems. The company’s approach aligns with the broader trend toward data-driven decision-making in football, particularly in recruitment, squad building and performance evaluation. Public descriptions of its work suggest an emphasis on extracting insights from large datasets rather than relying solely on traditional scouting methods.
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In recent years, Bord’s involvement in football has extended beyond consultancy into ownership and investment. Alongside his business partner, Evan Sofer, he has pursued a multi-club strategy that combines analytics with direct control or influence at club level. In 2024, Bord and his partners acquired a minority stake in Spanish club Córdoba CF, and then in early 2025, they completed a majority takeover (99.84%) of Scottish club Dunfermline Athletic... Short Circuit’s analytics are at the centre of the club’s sporting strategy, and earlier in his career Bord spent time working for both Tony Bloom and Matthew Benham - of Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford fame.
These moves have made Bord a notable figure in discussions about modern football ownership. Supporters of his approach argue that his background in probability, risk management and data analysis offers a rational, evidence-based framework for running football clubs. Critics, meanwhile, particularly among fan communities, have questioned the transparency, practical impact and track record of Short Circuit’s models, highlighting the broader debate within football about the limits of analytics when applied to complex sporting environments. Via a press release this week he spoke of a ‘long-term desire to return the club (Sheffield Wednesday) to its glory days.
Alsharif Faisal Bin Jamil
Alsharif Faisal Bin Jamil is a Bahraini-based investment professional and business executive known for his work in venture capital, sports investments and strategic corporate leadership. With an international academic background and nearly two decades of professional experience, Bin Jamil has built a reputation as a specialist in deploying capital into consumer technology, lifestyle ventures and innovative sports-related businesses.
The 37-year-old holds academic qualifications from some of the United Kingdom’s leading institutions, including the University of Oxford, Imperial College London and the University of London, reflecting a strong foundation in both analytical and strategic disciplines. His education has supported a career that spans private equity investing, board leadership roles and involvement in multiple emerging enterprises.
Since 2018, Bin Jamil has served as a partner at Milano Investment Partners SGR SpA, which is an European investment firm that targets companies in a range of sectors including fashion, food, lifestyle and deep technology. In this capacity, he has played a role in shaping investment strategies and supporting portfolio growth across early-stage and later-stage funding rounds.
In addition to his work in venture capital, Bin Jamil is also a Director and Board Member at Ingame Sports, a company focused on developing in-game sports prediction gaming products. Earlier in his career he served as a board member of Watchmaster ICP GmbH, an online marketplace for luxury watches, and worked with Gulf CX, a provider of customer experience and contact centre services in the Middle East. Bin Jamil, who is reportedly a member of the Jordanian Royal Family, has also served as CEO of Infinity Sports, where he’s credited as having ‘played a central role in positioning Bahrain as an emerging player in global sports entertainment’. Now his role with Infinity is as a board member, and he’s the Group CEO of Short Circuit.
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Beyond his traditional private equity and corporate board roles, Bin Jamil has actively pursued opportunities within professional football club governance and broader sports ventures. He has been involved at board level with Córdoba CF alongside Bord as part of an ownership and advisory group. Then, following Bord and Sofer’s takeover, he was invited to join the board of directors at Dunfermline Athletic. In this role, Bin Jamil’s strategic perspective and business expertise are expected to contribute to the club’s governance and long-term planning.
Outside of finance and football, Bin Jamil has also pursued interests in competitive sports. He has participated in Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro events, competing in white belt divisions at regional championships.
Professionally, Bin Jamil is recognised for his strategic planning, portfolio development and transformation leadership, often bridging traditional investment approaches with emerging tech and sports ecosystems. His contributions to venture capital, combined with operational roles across corporate and sports entities, position him as a multifaceted executive with a growing footprint in global investment and sports innovation.
Felix Roemer
Felix Roemer is an investor and entrepreneur who is a shareholder in Short Circuit. Unlike the club owners, Roemer’s role is more of a ‘behind the scenes’ one that helps shape the company’s data-driven approach to football.
He’s now 31, but as a teenager Roemer first became interested in how virtual economies worked in online games, tracking prices and spotting patterns in player-driven markets. That early interest in numbers and trends later translated into real-world business and investment, where he looked to focus on finding undervalued assets and improving them through better decision-making.
In football, Roemer’s role is largely about how data is used, not how football is played. At Short Circuit, he has helped develop systems that analyse player performance and physical output using video and data, aiming to give clubs clearer information to support recruitment, fitness and long-term planning. His philosophy is said to align closely with modern analytics-led football thinking: remove emotion where possible and make decisions based on evidence.
To supporters, Roemer is best seen as part of the technical and analytical backbone behind Short Circuit. He represents a new generation of football investors who believe that smarter use of data can help clubs compete more effectively, especially in an era where money alone no longer guarantees success.
In a press release sent out this week it was explained that the Malta-based entrepreneur has ‘developed a strong passion for meaningful fan engagement and a deep interest in football ownership through his collaboration, and is focused on sustainable well-governed club structures’.