World Sailing appoints 2012 Olympics Director as new CEO + Video

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com on 11 Jan 2016 World Sailing has appointed Andy Hunt, former CEO of the British Olympic Association and a non-executive Director of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Hunt (52) has most recently been Chairman and Managing Partner of Progressive Media Group, an International Media and Business Information group of companies, as well as serving as a non-executive Director of England Hockey and Gloucester Rugby. Hunt has had a highly successful career across both sport and business over the past 30 years, says the world sailing body in a formal media announcement.

From a sales and marketing background Hunt has been CEO or managing director of several organisations in the finance, security, publishing and sports management sectors. He has been responsible for several multinational organisations which expanded significantly under his tenure.

He replaces Peter Sowery, a British management consultant, who left soon after the November 2015 Annual Conference having been in the role for just five months. In turn, Sowery replaced Jerome Pels (NED) who had been in the role for 17 years first as Secretary General and then as CEO after the position title was changed. Pels' resignation was announced at the end of October 2014

Hunt first became involved in sailing while at school and then became more involved in his 30's and 40's. After a career leading security and financial companies, he was with Ben Ainslie's 2013 America's Cup Team, Team Origin before that was folded after a split focus with the home 2012 Olympics and transition to a multihull America's Cup class was too much for backer Sir Keith Mills - who also had a prominent role in the organisation of the 2012 Olympics.



Hunt worked loosely with Sir Keith Mills when Hunt took on the dual role of CEO of the British Olympic Association and Chef de Mission for the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2012 Olympics. Somewhat controversially he combined what had been two separate roles. He worked with Sir Keith Mills as the two were on the London Olympic Games board - LOCOG.

His role at the British Olympic Association was to expand the organisation in a home Olympic Games which included funding for a greatly expanded role for the team. Not unexpectedly he had a couple of less than stellar public fundraising initiatives around team trinket sales, but that shortfall in sales was offset by a government backed program to involve small business in the British Olympic program and the 2012 Olympic Games to achieve better leverage for the particopants in the program.

Hunt did put in place an outstanding support structure for the British Olympic Team, which both more than delivered on results, being the most successful British team in terms of medal wins, but also in terms of public support and 'feel good' and self-belief - which has a sustained spin-off in other areas.

He left the British Olympic Association in 2013, after the organisation was downsized following the 2012 Olympics, and BOA returned to its former role of supporting British Olympic teams to Olympic competitions outside UK.

Hunt then moved to the lead role with Progressive Media Group which holds an investment portfolio in several media publications, before leaving in June 2015. He has since taken on several non-executive Director roles for sports teams and in publishing.

In the written announcement, World Sailing President Carlo Croce (ITA) said, 'I am delighted that we have found an outstanding candidate to fill the role of CEO. Andy combines exceptional business leadership credentials, with an excellent track record in sports administration, a deep understanding of the Olympic and Paralympic movement, strong relationships with the IOC and ASOIF and enjoys a lifelong passion for Sailing. Andy will work closely with me and the Executive Board to continue to deliver on our vision and strategy for World Sailing.”

'I am delighted to have been selected by the Executive Board to lead World Sailing,' commented Hunt. 'It is a real honour to be able to serve a sport that I have participated in since an early age. I look forward to working with all of the stakeholders within our sport to further drive the organisation and sport forward.'

Hunt inherits a beleaguered world body facing the fall-out from the exclusion of two world champions from the ISAF Youth Worlds in Malaysia for political reasons.

The recently re-badged world body is still subject to heavy criticism over its perceived lack of action over pollution issues surrounding the water quality at the sailing venue for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. It also has a credibility issue over its role as world body dealing with suspensions arising from the 2013 America's Cup, in which its suspension of one sailor was reduced from five years to 18 months by the Court for Arbitration for Sport - which also 'suggested' improvements to the then ISAF's adjudication processes to separate the judical and investigation functions.

Sailing was also eliminated as a sport for the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, with a lack of cohesive organisation being cited between the ISAF and Paralympic sailing body being cited as the reason for the sport losing its place as a Paralympic sport. The organisational differences have since been addressed but the path back to inclusion at the Paralympics will be a difficult and challenging one.

The world body has also suffered from a leadership hiatus following the departure of Jerome Pels and the time taken to find a replacement, along with a CEO who lasted just five months. Hunt is the third CEO of the world sailing body in 14 months.

For an in depth interview with Andy Hunt a couple of months after the 2012 Olympics click Click here for a report from the announcement of Andy Hunt's resignation from the British Olympic Association, or Team GB n February 2013.