Karen Webb Moss Becomes First Woman To Chair British Swimming
Karen Webb Moss has become the first woman to Chair British Swimming, her brief to lead the regulator‘s Board “and its focus on organisational strategy and development, as well as ensuring the best high-performance environment and resources are available to athletes, coaches and staff across the aquatic disciplines for optimum performance and culture”, the federation noted in a statement today.
Webb Moss takes over from interim Chair Adele Stach-Kevitz, who stepped in when incumbent Maurice Watkins passed away last year. Stach-Kevitz becomes senior non-executive director on the Board.
Said Webb Moss: “This is an absolute honour and I am excited to take up the role of Chair of British Swimming. Despite what has been a difficult period for the Board and the entire team, their commitment and caring focus on excellence has resulted in proven and continued success in the water and on the podiums, and that has to be loudly applauded.
“Having worked across most aspects of sport, from event bids and international sport governing bodies to organising committees and sponsors, the drive, passion and reward throughout is the athlete and enabling them to achieve their goals, inspire us all and make nations proud.
“I am humbled by the already-warm welcome and impressed with the calibre of the Board and team. I am keen to get going – to listen and learn, to work with UK Sport, our Home Nations and the British Swimming team across our aquatic disciplines to contribute to and support the mission of ‘one team winning well in water’.”
One of the first tasks Webb Moss will preside over is the appointment of a permanent Chief Executive Office after the departure of Jack Buckner, who returned to his alma mater in track and field to take up the same CEO position at UK Athletics earlier this year. Head of legal at British Swimming, Ashley Cox, is currently serving as interim CEO at the aquatics regulator, while Buckner will continue to serve on the FINA reform committee until the end of 2022.
British Swimming noted: “The process to recruit British Swimming’s permanent Chief Executive is ongoing and the new Chair – working in partnership with the British Swimming Board – will be closely involved throughout the appointment process.”
Commenting on Webb Moss’ appointment, UK Sport Chair Katherine Grainger noted: “It was a pleasure to support British Swimming’s recruitment campaign for a new Chair. I am pleased that British Swimming have appointed Karen Webb Moss and very much look forward to working with her.”
The British Swimming Statement also included the following:
Less than two years out from the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Paris 2024, Webb Moss – the first woman to be permanent Chair of British Swimming – will be responsible for leading the British Swimming Board and its focus on organisational strategy and development, as well as ensuring the best high-performance environment and resources are available to athletes, coaches and staff across the aquatic disciplines for optimum performance and culture.
A respected senior sport executive and board-level leader, Webb Moss has amassed a wide range of expertise across a number of diverse and high-profile fields, primarily in sport and major events, having advised international governments, host cities, the Olympic and Paralympic movement, organising committees, national governing bodies, broadcasters and sponsors during her career.
Karen was the Executive Director for Marketing and Communications for the Olympic Park Legacy Company in the lead-up to London 2012. During this time, she was also a member of the UK Sport Major Events panel, leading on from her time as Head of Media and Marketing Communications for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee.
Over the past few years, Karen has been based overseas working with the leadership of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and prior to this was COO of the International Centre of Sport Security, where she remains a Board Director. She returned to the UK at the beginning of this year to establish her own sports business, working most recently with Birmingham’s 2022 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee.
Acknowledging her appointment, Karen said: “This is an absolute honour and I am excited to take up the role of Chair of British Swimming. Despite what has been a difficult period for the Board and the entire team, their commitment and caring focus on excellence has resulted in proven and continued success in the water and on the podiums, and that has to be loudly applauded.
“Having worked across most aspects of sport, from event bids and international sport governing bodies to organising committees and sponsors, the drive, passion and reward throughout is the athlete and enabling them to achieve their goals, inspire us all and make nations proud.
“I am humbled by the already-warm welcome and impressed with the calibre of the Board and team. I am keen to get going – to listen and learn, to work with UK Sport, our Home Nations and the British Swimming team across our aquatic disciplines to contribute to and support the mission of ‘one team winning well in water’.”
Speaking on the appointment, Interim Chair Stach-Kevitz said: “Karen brings a depth of expertise and sport industry knowledge that impressed the Board. Moreover, her strong fit with our values and athlete-centred approach to business was a key factor in her appointment.”
Aimee Willmott Elected Athlete Voice On Board
In other news, British Swimming also confirmed that three-time Olympian Aimee Willmott (now Aimee Booker), the 2018 Commonwealth 400m medley champion for England, was elected as Athlete Representative to the British Swimming Board.