LTA Goes To Canada To Hire Chief Executive

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 24th September 2013

LTA Goes To Canada To Hire Chief Executive

epa02005781 Russia's Maria Kirilenko holds tennis balls as she plays China's Zheng Jie during their Women's singles quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2010. EPA/John Donegan/ POOL |

Britain has looked across the Atlantic Ocean for the next chief executive of the Lawn Tennis Association with the appointment of Michael Downey, President and CEO of Tennis Canada for the last nine years.

Downey’s unveiling today at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, came at the end of an extensive search after Roger Draper announced in April he would be leaving the post after seven years in the job.

David Gregson, chairman of the LTA board, said: Michael was the unanimous choice of the recruitment committee. We were looking for somebody who had real experience of running a business, somebody used to working in a sporting environment and if we could find somebody who understood tennis, we were hitting the bulls eye.

“We went for a completely global search and were looking for the best person for the job, no matter where they came from and what their gender. Michael was the best candidate for the job. I am very excited about the future now holds.”

Gregson revealed he received more than 300 applications for the job and interviewed more than 30 people, some of them very high profile in the sport.

Downey previously held a series of executive positions including regional president of the Canada’s largest brewery Molson. “We know what tennis means to the great country of Britain, it’s the cradle of tennis,” said Downey. “This is a huge privilege for me at a fantastic time for British tennis.

“We have a tremendous opportunity in front of us, and it is an honor to be able to lead the work of the LTA in getting more people to play tennis.”

Draper’s salary and enormous bonuses were subjects of much criticism and Gregson confirmed the new man will be paid £300,000 a year. “I am absolutely confident that will be the right level for this job and we will be offering Michael the opportunity of earning a bonus on a quite stringent criteria of up to 30% of his deal,” said Gregson. “He was our first choice, the only person we made an offer to and he accepted it. We never said we would announce after Wimbledon. We always envisaged the search would take this long.”

Downey will start his new job on January 6, 2014 and will relocate to the United Kingdom with his fiancée, Jinder. During the interim period, Nick Humby (LTA COO) will continue to run the association.

Topics: Lta, Sports, Tennis, Tennis Canada