Sport Wales Chief Executive Sarah Powell has announced she will be leaving the organisation in October to take up the role of Chief Executive of British Gymnastics.
Sarah was appointed Chief Executive in 2013, having previously been a Corporate Director. She will remain in her post until October.
Sport Wales and the Welsh Government has agreed that current Director Brian Davies will be appointed on a fixed term basis as the Chief Executive from October. This will be reviewed once a new Chair is in post in 2022 to allow the new Chair to lead any future recruitment process.
Sport Wales Chair Lawrence Conway paid tribute to Sarah commenting: “I consider myself very fortunate to have worked with Sarah for the past 5 years. Her vision, energy and dedication to Welsh sport has been exceptional and she has so much to be proud of. Sarah has met the many challenges and opportunities of working in the public sector head on with passion and a relentless focus and has shifted the perception of sport for many. In striving to make sport and physical activity more enjoyable, accessible and inclusive for everyone in Wales she will leave an important legacy and strong foundations which we must as an organisation continue to build on. On behalf of everyone at Sport Wales I’d like to wish Sarah every success in her new role at British Gymnastics.
“I am grateful to Welsh Government for agreeing to the recommendation to appoint Brian Davies as Chief Executive on a fixed term basis, once Sarah leaves, for the remainder of my time as Chair. This will allow the organisation to continue the vital work already underway to support the sector during the pandemic and will allow my successor the opportunity to lead any recruitment process deemed necessary in the future. Brian is a highly respected and experienced sports administrator and he did an excellent job guiding and supporting the organisation for a period when Sarah was on adoption leave so I am delighted that he has accepted the role.”
