Fighting fires at World Sailing

World Sailing President Kim Andersen (DEN) is under siege. During his four year term, the organization’s budget has been pummeled through the failure of plans and employees, and just as hope was on the horizon, the postponed 2020 Olympics snapped a needed lifeline.

In 2020, World Sailing’s General Assembly will see the election of the President and Board of Directors for 2021-2024, and Andersen is seeking re-election. However, the dirt-kicking internet trolls would prefer he hand over the helm, and they may get their way without a remedy to the red ink.

Andersen must also keep the organization afloat without its Chief Executive Officer, a position that’s been unoccupied since Andy Hunt (GBR) stepped down at the end of December after four years in the role. Hunt’s appointment by Andersen’s predecessor did not go well, and with cash flow tight, the vacancy now is both a blessing and a curse.

A recent story on the CEO issue by Inside The Games, which reports on the Olympic Games, prompted Andersen to release the following statement:

In December 2019, the Board appointed Odgers Berndtson as our executive search partner for appointing a new Chief Executive Officer. Odgers are among the leading executive search firms in global sport and are very experienced in the world of IFs, NGBs, NOCs, and the Olympic and Paralympic ecosystem.

The Board received several high caliber applicants following the process and the Board spoke to several candidates on their application.

Following a news article in Inside The Games published on Sunday 19 April, I would like to clarify the date of hiring a new CEO.

We have not confirmed a date for hiring a new CEO but we are considering the engagement of the role when we have more certainty around World Sailing’s budget.

I thank Liam Morgan for correcting the news article on Inside The Games.

Following the departure of Andy Hunt as CEO, World Sailing’s Senior Management Team, in close co-operation with the Board, have been managing the organization. As no hiring has been done, the salary level of a new CEO is also unconfirmed.