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The Board of Directors of Athletics Australia have appointed former Federal Sports Minister Mark Arbib as its new President.

A former Australian Senator who served as the Federal Minister for Sport (2010-2012), Arbib is an active recreational runner and is currently employed as the Director of Strategy and Business Development for James Packer's private investment company Consolidated Press Holdings Pty. Ltd.

Welcoming his appointment, Arbib (pictured above) states “athletics is a sport and way of life that I am deeply committed to. Running has helped me reach my personal and professional goals and I want to help give other Australians the opportunity to do the same.

“Athletics continues to be an important part of my family’s life, through my own training and my daughter’s participation in Little Athletics and our local athletics club.

“For me, the nexus between Athletics Australia and Little Athletics Australia is the most important pathway and relationship for the sport and I will work tirelessly to ensure that both organisations have a strong partnership and grow strongly as one family, committed to common goals and shared ideals.”

“Athletics Australia has undertaken many positive steps in recent times and with careful management and a visionary Board of Directors, the sport is on a pathway to even greater success. I am committed to a long term association with athletics and look forward to assisting in delivering upon the sport’s worthy goals of increasing participation and high performance success.”

Arbib was one of three new Directors of Athletics Australia confirmed at the Annual General Meeting, held in Melbourne today (27th November).

He will be joined by Ben Sellenger and Geoff Nicholson.

Sellenger is the Chief Operating Officer of Bastion EBA, a commercial strategy agency with a significant focus on sports and stadia.

Nicholson is a Non-Executive Director and Consultant currently contributing to the efforts of the United Energy Distribution Group, Marchment Hill Consulting and Hanover Welfare Services.

The Board of Directors also includes Anne Lord and Peter Bromley, the former Presidents of Athletics Victoria and Athletics New South Wales respectively; Nathan Deakes, a former world champion race walker and four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Brenda LaPorte, who most recently served as the General Manager for Strategy, Planning and Workforce at the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and Jan Swinhoe, a former senior executive of the banking sector who now sits on the Board of Directors of five organisations.

David Grace, the President, Matthew Mahon and Nick Moore, the Vice Presidents, and Melissa Babbage have today retired from the Board of Directors of Athletics Australia.

Since leaving politics, Arbib has carved out a corporate career and, in addition to his role with Consolidated Press Holdings, he is also a board member of the Packer Family Foundation and the South Sydney Rabbitohs and has served as a board member for Sydney FC.

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