David Gallop hands over reins at COMPPS

Outgoing Football Federation Australia (FFA) Chief Executive David Gallop AM, has attended his last AGM as Chair of the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS), and handed over leadership of the group to Tennis Australia’s Craig Tiley.

Following the meeting in Canberra, Gallop said: “As a founding member of COMPPS I’m delighted to see the sports working together as well as at any time in the organisation’s history.”

“Yesterday was a handover to Craig who will lead the group into a new phase and an appropriate opportunity to meet the minister and discuss the critical place that the COMPPS sports play in the social, sporting and economic development of our nation.”

Gallop and the leaders of the other six sports then met with federal Minister for Sport Senator Richard Colbeck, and he added “The Minister was keen to continue to engage on the many opportunities and issues and that was very encouraging.”

Here is the COMPPS Media Release announcing the change:

Tennis Australia CEO and Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley is the new Chair of the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS).

The globally-renowned tennis administrator’s appointment was made at COMPPS AGM yesterday prior to a meeting of COMPPS CEOs in Canberra with the Federal Minister for Sport, Senator Richard Colbeck.

Tiley, replacing David Gallop AM on his retirement, is recognised as one of Australia’s most innovative and forward thinking chief executives. He has been Tournament Director of the Australian Open since 2006 and was appointed CEO of Tennis Australia in 2013. He has overseen the transformation of Tennis Australia and the Australian Open with a focus on the players, growing the entertainment offering and innovation.

He has also led the introduction of successful initiatives to shift the trending decline in participation. As a founding Male Champion of Change, Tiley is highly passionate about gender equality, inclusion and diversity, both on the tennis court and in the workplace.

“COMPPS represents 16,000 sporting clubs and their nine million players, fans, members and administrators. We are some of Australia’s most well-known, respected and loved organisations,” Tiley said.

“As the united voice of these seven major Australian sports, we believe that COMPPS can play a more proactive role in working with the Government to promote the importance of sport and sport related policy.

“COMPPS believes that sport and club sports are fundamental to enhancing Australian values of teamwork, resilience and community and look forward to continuing to work with the Government in promoting those values.

In the ministerial meeting, the COMPPS CEOs discussed with the Minister the Government’s objectives for the sport portfolio and outlined how COMPPS could work more closely with the Government to promote the importance of sport in the Australian public policy landscape.

“We appreciated the Minister’s time to learn more about his objectives for the portfolio and to discuss issues that affect all our sports,” Tiley said.

“We had a wide-ranging discussion across participation, the importance of club sports, grassroots infrastructure and how we can continue to work with the government in promoting important social programs.

“The Minister understands how important sport is and the social and economic benefits it provides for Australia. We look forward to continuing to work closely together in promoting sport for all Australians.”

/Public Release. View in full here.