The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced that Arnon de Mello has been named NBA Latin America Vice President & Managing Director.

De Mello, previously NBA Brazil Vice President and Managing Director, will oversee the development and expansion of the NBA's business and basketball initiatives throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

In this role, he will direct all of the league's efforts in the region across marketing partnerships, events, television, digital media and licensed merchandise through a dedicated Latin America team with headquarters in New York City and two local offices in Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City.

"Arnon is among the most talented and experienced executives in sports, and I'm confident that our business throughout Latin America and the Caribbean will continue to grow under his leadership," said NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum.

Since joining the NBA in 2012, de Mello launched the NBA's regional office in Rio de Janeiro and oversaw the continued growth of the business in Brazil. As part of his efforts to grow the game, he directed key strategic partnerships, including with Globosat and Liga Nacional de Basquete (LNB), grew the league's local sponsorship business, successfully launched the NBA's e-commerce presence in Brazil, and brought the game closer to fans through programs such as NBA Global Games, Basketball without Borders, NBA3X and Jr. NBA.

With 33 games played in Latin America and the Caribbean since 1991, the NBA has a long history of growing the game across the region. NBA games and programming reach regional fans in 47 countries and territories in four languages, and NBA merchandise is for sale in more than 3,500 retail locations as well as via two official online stores in Brazil and Mexico. NBA rosters at the start of the 2015-16 season featured 17 players from eight Latin American and Caribbean countries.