Dubai: The European Tour has indicated that it is in no hurry to find a replacement for outgoing Chief Executive Officer George O’Grady.
Two weeks back, the 65-year-old Singapore-born O’Grady announced his departure after spending nine years as CEO of The European Tour. Subsequently, there has been talk that the European Tour may be looking for an external replacement for the top position, keeping in mind the desire to develop markets in Asia.
Finding a successor to O’Grady has been the primary task of David Williams, a commercial expert who was appointed as Chairman of the European Tour last December.
“I feel this is the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I’m certainly not leaving today. I’ve agreed with the Board of Directors to stay and help in the search for my successor. It could be people within the Tour or I think it can be from a shortlist. But they have been looking far and wide for someone who will lead the next chapter in the development of The European Tour, especially as it is on such a global stage,” O’Grady told media in his departing remarks on Friday.
O’Grady is departing from the Tour while leaving the business of golf in good health. The European Tour’s Final Series, now in its second year, pits leading players to compete for a combined $30 million (Dh110.17 million) over four European Tour-sanctioned events. “The structure of the game is good. The developing talent we see everywhere we go and our charitable efforts have grown manifold in the last 10 years. Our own Benevolent Trust which supports so many people pays out over £300,000 a year and we have over £1 million in the bank,” he said.
Williams told media that the tour will first appoint a search firm to narrow down on the absolutely perfect sports administrator. “The firm will work with us on the profile of the role. We will get inputs from George [O’Grady] on how he sees the role going forward. We will look at that against the people who are out there, who will either apply or we will approach. The Nomination Committee will lead that process and I suspect it will take whatever time is necessary to find that person,” Williams said.
