Football Federation Australia (FFA) has today announced the appointment of two new directors to the FFA Board and has updated key stakeholders on succession planning for the four-year period from November 2015.
Yesterday in Sydney, FFA Chairman Frank Lowy AC briefed the leaders of the nine State and Territory Member Federations on FFA’s Board succession plan.
A plan is required due to the term expiry of Mr Lowy, the Deputy Chairman, Brian Schwartz AM, and Director Phillip Wolanski AM in November 2015.
They will be replaced by candidates elected for four-year terms by representatives of the State and Territory Member Federations and the Hyundai A-League clubs.
As part of the long-term plan, Simon Hepworth, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Caltex Australia, and Chris Nikou, a Melbourne-based senior partner and department head for Corporate (Asia Pacific) at global law firm K&L Gates, have been appointed to the FFA Board. Each has been appointed for an initial two-year term, effective 16 October 2014.
In August last year, FFA established a Board Nominations Committee and engaged leading executive search company Egon Zehnder.
Egon Zehnder has been conducting a comprehensive search to identify FFA board candidates using key criteria – senior professional experience in the corporate, government and business sectors, independence, international experience and a genuine interest and passion for the game.
Mr Hepworth and Mr Nikou were identified by the succession process to fill current vacancies, including one created by the expiry of Chris Rex's two-year term this month.
Mr Rex, the CEO of Ramsay Health Care and a former Sydney FC director, was not able to take up a further term on the FFA Board due to international travel requirements with his executive position.
Mr Lowy today thanked Mr Rex for his outstanding service to the FFA and Australian football and welcomed Mr Hepworth and Mr Nikou to the Board.
"The renewal process we see unfolding today shows that we are taking deliberate steps in the succession plan for the four-year period from 2015," said Mr Lowy.
"We have two new directors who will add valuable skills and experience around the FFA boardroom table.
“Yesterday, we were able to brief our key stakeholders on the process of identifying candidates for nomination and election by the Members at the AGM in November 2015.
"There's more work to be done and we will make sure there is a meticulous process to find the best available candidates to serve on the FFA Board in the post-2015 years."