Olna Ford: The Visionary Powering the Rise of Long Drive and the Global Expansion of XDL

Winner – Top 100 CEOs, Global 100 Awards 2025

Olna Ford is not your conventional CEO—and Xtreme Drivers League (XDL) is no ordinary sports brand. As the driving force behind one of the most exciting evolutions in modern sport, Olna has carved a unique lane in the global business landscape. In recognition of her transformative leadership, entrepreneurial grit, and relentless vision, she has earned her place among the Global 100 – Top 100 CEOs of 2025.

From the outside, Long Drive—golf’s power-focused cousin—may seem niche. But Olna Ford saw something the rest of the world missed: an untapped, high-adrenaline sport brimming with potential. Since founding XDL in 2016, she has reimagined the sport from the ground up, fusing athletic spectacle with brand strategy and turning it into a high-growth, globally recognised sports entertainment property.

From Risk to Revolution

When Olna first entered the Long Drive scene, skepticism was the norm. A multi-disciplinary entrepreneur with experience in sports, fitness, and beauty, her pivot into an underdeveloped sport raised eyebrows. But what seemed like a gamble to outsiders was, in her eyes, a calculated strategic move.

“I didn’t just want to run events—I wanted to redefine the sport entirely,” she explains. “To make it exciting, scalable, and commercially viable.”

Her first few years were marked by intense groundwork—refining the XDL format, testing new event structures, and pushing the sport’s entertainment boundaries. By 2024, XDL had hosted 40 official Long Drive events and captured the attention of sports fans, media platforms, and investors alike. Her innovation was recognised with the Most Innovative Sports Business Founder award in 2024, while XDL secured Best Sporting League three years in a row.

Building a Sports Empire

At the heart of Olna’s strategy is ownership—of teams, events, and intellectual property. She currently owns eight of the sport’s major events, including the flagship competitions that drive global viewership and athlete engagement. Her two national teams, the New Zealand Long Blacks and the Aussie Long Ballers, serve as both elite talent hubs and powerful brand assets.

But it’s not just about building a league—it’s about shaping an entire ecosystem. By controlling the sport’s key infrastructure and branding elements, Olna ensures XDL stays nimble, distinct, and future-focused. This has allowed her to design the sport’s narrative on her terms—elevating athletes, engaging audiences, and creating long-term commercial pathways.

Entering the Global Stage

2025 marks a new era for Olna Ford and XDL. In partnership with a U.S.-based group, Olna is spearheading the development of the International XDL Grid—a permanent, state-of-the-art facility set to become the global home of Long Drive.

Situated at the heart of a major international sports development, the facility will serve as both an elite competition venue and a commercial hub for training, media, and content creation. The project will elevate Long Drive’s visibility, create recurring revenue streams, and anchor XDL’s global expansion.

“The Grid will change everything,” Olna says. “It’s not just a venue—it’s a statement. It signals to the world that Long Drive is here to stay, and that XDL is leading the charge.”

Beyond the Sport

Olna’s vision doesn’t stop with sport. With multiple international business awards now under her belt—including five in the past two years—she is branching into adjacent ventures including product development and real estate, with a long-term plan to build a lifestyle brand around the XDL ethos of power, precision, and performance.

From branded merchandise to wellness products and athlete-focused real estate developments, Olna is building a 360-degree business that extends far beyond the fairway.

Leadership with Grit

What separates Olna Ford from many of her contemporaries is her ability to combine raw entrepreneurial energy with methodical strategic execution. Every risk has been calculated. Every move anchored in long-term impact. And every win built on persistence and clarity of purpose.

“When I started, it was an uphill battle,” she reflects. “But I thrive on that. The early challenges sharpened my thinking. They taught me how to build something from nothing and back it up with real results.”

Her story is one of resilience, creative thinking, and the kind of leadership that doesn’t just adapt to change—but creates it.

Recognising Excellence

The Global 100 – Top 100 CEOs award is designed to spotlight the world’s most dynamic and impactful leaders—those setting new benchmarks in vision, execution, and innovation. Olna Ford exemplifies this standard.

Through XDL, she hasn’t just created a business—she’s created a movement. One that’s set to redefine the future of Long Drive and, more broadly, how niche sports can be reimagined for a global audience.

As 2025 unfolds, one thing is certain: Olna Ford is not slowing down. With new deals, new developments, and a global fanbase growing by the day, the XDL engine is only just getting started.

For more on Olna Ford and XDL, visit www.xdlworldwide.com