The identities of three figures behind the preferred bid for Sheffield Wednesday have been revealed by administrators.
The trio are all involved with sports analytics business Short Circuit Science, which drove the largely unsuccessful recruitment policy at rivals Sheffield United last summer following the Blades’ Championship play-off final defeat to Sunderland.
The Owls were placed in administration in October 2025 following months of fan protests against previous owner Dejphon Chansiri. Supporters will be hoping to find more responsible owners this time around.
So after they were named as preferred bidders ahead of the likes of former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, who exactly are James Bord, Felix Romer and Alsharif Faisal Bin Jamil? And what is their approach likely to be?
Poker face
The privately-funded group is led by London-born James Bord (pictured, right, in main image), now in his mid-forties, who left Citi to play poker professionally and subsequently won more than £3 million on the circuit – including $1.3m as he triumphed in the 2010 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event.
After making his name working for gambling firms Starlizard and Smartodds, he focused his career on machine learning and artificial intelligence in San Francisco. Now based in Las Vegas, he runs Short Circuit Science, which uses AI for sports analytics.
He has owned Scottish club Dunfermline along with partner Evan Sofer, who is also based in Vegas, for almost a year. In a letter to fans at the time of the takeover last January, they wrote: “You may have heard about our backgrounds in data analytics and artificial intelligence and we are big believers in the impact this technology can have across the club.
“From player recruitment to sports science, we see huge potential to enhance our operations and gain a competitive edge.
“Working closely with our highly qualified backroom staff, we’ll be implementing these tools to support smarter decision-making and ultimately help the team perform at its very best.”
Bord also has a stake in Spanish Segunda Division side Cordoba CF and Bulgarian club Septemvri Sofia through his company Park Bench SFC LLC.
Big ego
Also in the consortium is Felix Romer, a German-born entrepreneur.
Romer – based in Malta – is a consultant and shareholder at Short Circuit Science, who also has a background in gambling and claims to have experience in FinTech.
He founded Shorely.com, a one-person investment company based in Singapore, and also has several personal websites which fawn over his personal and professional journey.
“With over a decade spent building and backing digital ventures, I’ve watched ideas drift, collide, and break through. I’ve learned that what matters most is execution — and the right support at the right time,” he wrote on that site.
“My journey began in the online video game marketplace, starting with RuneScape, where I built tools and tracked real-time item prices to optimise trades. What began as trading virtual assets evolved into a deep sense for strategy – and marked the start of my investing path.
“Over the years, I also spent a significant amount of time pioneering products in the iGaming space – building platforms, scaling teams, and navigating a fast-paced, highly regulated environment. That experience sharpened my ability to move quickly and execute under pressure, and it laid the groundwork for expanding into other industries.
“Since then, I’ve backed multiple companies, always staying close to the action and stepping in when it matters most. I believe the best ideas grow when you’re close enough to get your hands dirty.”
Royalty
Alsharif Faisal Bin Jamil, described as the consortium’s chief executive, is said to be a member of the Jordanian royal family.
He has Masters degrees from Oxford University and Imperial College London – in modern Middle Eastern studies and management, respectively – according to his LinkedIn profile.
A board member at Dunfermline and at Spanish second division club Cordoba, he has served as the group CEO of Short Circuit Science since May 2025.
He is an executive board member and former CEO at Bahrain-based Infinity Sports Ventures, which invests in and manages sports clubs.
The Owls’ administrators Begbies Traynor sold Wigan Athletic to Bahraini investors in 2021 – only for the club to soon run into financial trouble.
Short Circuit
So what does Short Circuit Science actually do?
The firm’s website says it is at the forefront of sports analytics, harnessing the power of AI and computer vision: “Through cutting-edge algorithms, we uncover intricate details about players and teams, offering invaluable insights for performance improvement and strategic decision-making. Our expertise in this field empowers athletes, coaches, and organisations to stay ahead of the game.”
It says its findings serve as the foundation for tailored training programs, effective talent scouting, optimal player development and tactics.
“We deliver instantaneous in-game insights to coaches and analysts during matches. With our advanced AI algorithms and computer vision technologies, we track player movements, ball trajectories, and tactical patterns, providing real-time analysis of the game’s flow,” it claims.
“Armed with these immediate insights, teams can make informed decisions on substitutions, formations and strategic adjustments.”
It also works in the field of medicine to “optimise prescriptions and deliver personalised treatment plans”.
“This is done by analysing patient data such as weight, height, race, blood type, and other factors such as sunlight exposure. Our AI algorithms can be extremely beneficial in providing tailored medication recommendations.”
It says this helps to identify potential drug interactions that could cause harm to patients; prevent medication errors, such as prescribing the wrong medication or giving the wrong dose; and help to ensure that patients are taking their medications correctly.
Lastly, away from sport, it also provides solutions around the climate and the environment.
Faculty becomes 1st tech unicorn of 2026 with Accenture deal