By Greg Blood

Since 2000, I have been tracking changes in CEO’s and Chairs/Presidents of major national Australian sports organisations. Listed are changes that have occurred in 2024, an Olympic/Paralympic Games year.

List highlights the significant turnover of CEO’s as opposed to Presidents/Chairs. This could be partly due to the end of Olympic/Paralympic Games cycle. Many of those CEO’s departing have led their organisation through COVID-19 that significantly impacted on sport in Australia.

Matt Carroll from the Australian Olympic Committee and Nick Hockley from Cricket Australia have given their organisations a timeline for their departure. Recently Cricket Australia has appointed Todd Greenberg to replace Hockley in March 2025. It will be Greenberg’s second time in leading one of the top five national sports organisations after leading the National Rugby League from 2016 to 2020.

Two women departed in 2024 – Catherine Clark (Paralympics Australia) and Alexadra Ash (Gymnastics Australia). New appointments were Kim Crane (Paddle Australia) and Stacey West (Netball Australia). At the end of 2024, women CEO’s are: Dinah Glykidis (Boxing Australia), Marne Fechner (AusCycling), Rebecca Hamilton (Judo Australia), Stacey West (Netball Australia), Kim Crane (Paddle Australia), Sarah Cook (Rowing Australia), Sarah Loh (Softball Australia), Robyn Smith (Sport Inclusion Australia) and Nicole Adamson (Table Tennis Australia).

There was minimal movement in Presidents/Chairs. Notable appointments were Kate Jenkins AO replacing Josephine Sukkar AM (Australian Sports Commission) and Liz Ellis AO replacing Wendy Archer AM (Netball Australia). The lack of movement could be related that many Presidents/Chairs now have fixed term appointments.

Whilst I currently do not track long term changes in state instititute/ academies of sport, the following major changes occurred in 2024: Nicole Livingstone replacing Anne Marie Harrison (Victorian Institute of Sport), Keren Faulkner replacing Wes Battams (South Australian Sports Institute) and Matt Fulton replacing Steve Lawrence (Western Australian Institute of Sport). Interesting Harrison (2006-2024), Battams (1997-2023) and Lawrence (2001-2023) held their positions for lengthy periods.

Chief Executive Officers

Australian Sport CEO’s 2000-2024 – listing of changes during period.

CEO’s that have held the position since 2020:

• James Johnson (2020-) Football Australia
• James Sutherland (2020- ) Golf Australia
• Ben Houston (2019-) Australian Sailing
• Michael Kennedy (2002-) Snow Australia
• Robyn Smith (1991- ) Sport Inclusion Australia
• Adam Weir (2018-) Surf Life Saving Australia
• Chris Mater (2018-) Surfing Australia
• Craig Tiley (2013-) Tennis Australia
• Andrew Dee (2018-) Volleyball Australia
• Ian Moir (2018-) Weightlifing Australia

Presidents/Chairs

Australian Sport Presidents/Chairs 2000-2004 – listing of changes during period.

• Australian Sports Commission: Josephine Sukkar AM (2021-2024) replaced by Kate Jenkins AO
• Bowls Australia: Bob Boorman  (2020-2024) replaced by  Iain Evans
• Netball Australia: Wendy Archer AM (2022-2024) replaced by Liz Ellis AO
• Rowing Australia: Rob Scott (2015-2024) replaced by Stephen Donnelley
• Swimming Australia: Michelle Gallen (2022-2023) replaced by current interim Chair Hayden Collins

.For comments or alterations to the list contact Greg Blood.