It is approaching the two-month mark since Swimming Australia CEO Alex Baumann stepped down from his post due to health reasons and we now know his successor.
Eugenie Buckley had been serving as interim CEO but Swimming Australia has now confirmed the experienced sports administrator will take over the role officially.
Swimming Australia President Kieran Perkins said of Buckley’s appointment, “It was clear very early on that Eugenie was someone with incredible ability to build and execute a strategy for Australian swimming.
“Her passion for the sport, and not just the administration and athletes but the wider community of Member Organisations, stakeholders and fans was infectious. She is a modern leader with a people first attitude and the business acumen to ensure swimming is on the right trajectory heading towards Paris in three years, but also with an eye to Brisbane 2032.
“Her experience speaks for itself and we have seen that with her calm and measured approach to the challenges swimming is facing.
“With our strategic plan nearing finalisation we felt Eugenie was the right person to lead us through this transformative period and further build our sport into an industry leader.”
Buckley has a long career in sports having worked on some of the world’s biggest events including the IRB Rugby World Cup in 2003 and the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2009, as well as organisations such as the FFA (now Football Australia), the ICC, Queensland Red and Brisbane Roar.
Buckley said of her appointment, “I feel like swimming is well placed to take advantage of the opportunities in front of us in this next period.
“We have just come off an incredible Olympic and Paralympic campaign in Tokyo, with our Olympic program having their best performance ever, so we are well positioned for success in the pool.
“With Brisbane 2032 on the horizon, the chance to lead the sport through this next growth phase is exciting. Our strategy focuses on how we can develop our business, both at the national level but also with our Member Organisations and stakeholders, to ensure swimming is the number one Olympic sport in Australia.
“There are a lot of passionate people within the swimming community and I look forward to tackling the challenges and embracing the future together.”
Great decision..!! Kudos all around… — Best of good fortune to the program.