The people behind the work

Shaquille Figueroa is the Founder and CEO of ESEF, leading the company at the intersection of talent management, brand strategy, and cultural storytelling. With over a decade of experience spanning global sportswear, financial services, and athlete development, he brings a rare, holistic perspective to building modern athlete and creator brands.

His background includes work with Adidas, Nike, and Fanatics, where he contributed to product development, marketing, and large-scale brand ecosystems. Earlier in his career, Shaquille served as an Athletic Director, giving him firsthand insight into athlete development, leadership, and organisational structure. He also spent several years in the financial services industry as a Financial Advisor, strengthening his expertise in financial literacy, long-term planning, and business infrastructure — skills that now directly inform how ESEF positions, protects, and scales its talent.

His work is deeply rooted in the NIL ecosystem, with a focus on helping collegiate and professional athletes navigate brand partnerships, understand NIL regulations, and build long-term value beyond competition. As ESEF continues to expand its athlete representation capabilities, Shaquille is actively advancing his professional credentials to operate at the highest level of compliant NIL and athlete brand management.

Mario Haklaj is a Talent Manager at ESEF, where he oversees athlete portfolios and the day-to-day operations of TAFT. He collaborates closely with athletes such as Isaiah Fuller and Denim Trotman, guiding their long-term brand development, campaign execution, and daily career strategy. Mario coordinates client communications, rollout schedules, and logistical details to keep projects running smoothly.

With a keen eye for detail and strong cultural awareness, he consistently turns strategy into measurable action — maintaining timelines, ensuring cohesive messaging across channels, and nurturing professional relationships with care. Mario helps ESEF operate with clarity and professionalism, enabling the athletes and brands he manages to scale intentionally and sustainably.

Dejoy serves as an Associate Manager at ESEF, playing a key role in brand operations, talent support, and campaign execution. Working closely with Shaquille and the wider team, she supports day-to-day brand development, client communication, rollout coordination, and internal organisation across multiple talent portfolios.

With a sharp eye for detail and strong cultural awareness, Dejoy helps ensure that strategy translates cleanly into execution. She is instrumental in keeping timelines aligned, messaging consistent, and relationships managed with care. As the connective tissue between vision and delivery, Dejoy helps ESEF operate with clarity, consistency, and professionalism, allowing the brands and talent we manage to scale with intention.