World Masters Games 2017 team takes shape

World Masters Games 2017 team takes shape

New appointees take on the task of bringing the world’s largest multi-sport event to life.

It promises to be the largest event New Zealand will host in a decade. In 2017, an estimated 25,000 athletes and 10,000 supporters will converge on Auckland to participate in some 30 sports in 10 days across at least 45 venues.

Four key appointments have now been confirmed into roles in the fledgling organisation set up by ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development) to run the Games.

Chief Executive Jennah Wootten, who was appointed into her role in June, says the team will progressively grow in size in sync with the need to deliver on the critical path in the build-up to the Games.

“These five roles will take forward key work streams such as the financial stewardship of the World Masters Games 2017 company, the management of communications and marketing, and the process of selecting the sports that will ultimately feature in the event,” she says.

Ms Wootten says the new appointments come after a global search to find the right talent.

“We are delighted that after an international search we have been able to find some very talented individuals across the required disciplines. These are subject matter experts whose sole focus will be the successful delivery of the Games on behalf of New Zealand and the athletes who are passionate about the masters sporting movement.

“A primary purpose in staging the Games in Auckland is to deliver economic benefit both to the city and New Zealand. In order to achieve that we must deliver an extraordinary Games programme that attracts participants from across New Zealand and around the globe. We are extremely excited to be taking on this challenge and look forward to sharing the story with sports enthusiasts everywhere over the coming years.”

The new appointments are:

Roger Venn

General Manager, Finance & Business Services

Roger brings to World Masters Games 2017 more than 20 years financial management experience. He has held roles in New Zealand and the U.K. and holds diverse industry knowledge spanning FMCG, sporting and events sponsorship, aerospace services, building and construction and consumer electronics. Prior to his new role with World Masters Games 2017, Roger spent eight years with Red Bull, two years with Rolls Royce and 10 years with Tarmac Plc. He is a Chartered Management Accountant. A.C.M.A.

Sheryl Nichols

General Manager, Communications & Marketing

Sheryl is a senior leader in the marketing and communications industry with 20+ years experience in New Zealand and abroad, across varying sectors including forestry, energy, telecommunications, digital publishing and local government. She has held roles with Carter Holt Harvey, the Carlson Marketing Group, Telecom New Zealand, British Telecom, Mighty River Power and Yellow. Most recently she held the roles of Group Manager Marketing & Communications with the Auckland City Council and Head of Product & Marketing with Localist.

She joins World Masters Games 2017 following 18 months in San Francisco | Silicon Valley.

Danny O’Donnell

Manager, Sports & Venues

Danny O’Donnell has specialised for the past decade in strategic event and venue planning, sport governance and management, regional sport and recreation planning and partnership and policy development. Danny has worked as a Senior Consultant with Visitor Solutions, as General Manager for Harbour Sport and was Leisure Services Manager for the Waitakere City Council. In addition, he has spent the past 12 months progressing the sports and venues work programme for World Masters Games 2017 as part of his role at Visitor Solutions.

Nicholas Clarke

Manager, Business Planning & Performance

Nick joins World Masters Games 2017 from ATEED where he managed the Major Event feasibility team. Projects undertaken by the team included the NRL Auckland Nines, V8 Supercars, America's Cup World Series, Cricket World Cup, IRB Junior World Cup, World Police Fire Games and Men's/Women's Hockey World Cups. Nick has also chaired the governance workstreams for some of ATEED's largest events and led Auckland’s Rugby World Cup 2011 Operations and Logistics programme.

ENDS

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