It’s back! Our 2022 Member CEO Forum will take place on Tuesday 1st March. Hosted by broadcaster Gráinne McElwain, the 2022 member CEO Forum, ‘The Pandemic was Game Changer. How does the Sports Sector Play the Game Now?’ is exclusively for member CEO’s, LSP co-ordinators and member Chairpersons and invited guests. There will be expert insights on the national importance of sport and physical activity. We are delighted to announce Raelene Castle, CEO of Sport New Zealand will join us live on the day! Guest Speaker Information: The Federation of Irish Sport are delighted to host Raelene Castle, CEO of Sport New Zealand as part of the upcoming member CEO Forum to be held on March 1st. Prior to joining Sport New Zealand in 2020, Raelene spent seven years working in Australia as Chief Executive of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and then Chief Executive of Rugby Australia. She was previously Chief Executive of Netball New Zealand from 2007 to 2013. She has held several governance roles in sport, previously serving as a board director of the ANZ Championship Netball, International Federations of Netball Associations, SANZAAR Rugby and the World Rugby Council. Raelene was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2015 for services to Business and Sport. Lisa Wainwright the CEO
of the Sport and Recreation Alliance UK and received an MBE in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to sport. She has held Executive roles at England Netball, Volleyball England and British Basketball. Internationally she has held roles on the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) World Ethics Panel, European Volleyball (CEV) Credentials Panel, has been a member of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Governance Commission as well as being a Director of the British Olympic Association. She is currently a Technical Director for International Volleyball (FIVB). A graduate of the UK Sport CEO Executive Leadership Programme Lisa has set up her own company Ljwainwright Limited. In 2019, she was awarded Women CEO of the year alongside being awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Bedfordshire University and named in the 2020 OUTstanding 100 LGBT+ Executives List for the third year in a row. Her motivations are simple, to enable people to better themselves through sport.
Cian Ó Lionáin is the Assistant Secretary-General with responsibility for Sport and Tourism in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. He started in this role in mid-2021 having previously spent a considerable period of time in the Department of Housing where he dealt with policy matters in the housing, water and local government areas. He has previously worked in the Department of Finance and in Brussels as part of Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the EU. He has a keen interest in sport and previously served in a personal capacity on the board of a sports NGB, at county management level and on local sports club management committees. Despite his real interest in sport, his own playing career across a range of sports was characterised by enthusiastic mediocrity. Cian will make a presentation to our attendees, sharing insights and updates on the Government Sports Action Plan.
Our host for the CEO Forum will be broadcaster Gráínne McElwain.
For our panel discussion we are delighted to have Dr. Declan Jordan, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Centre for Sports Economics and Law UCC and Benny Cullen, Director of Research and Innovation at Sport Ireland join us to share their insights into the economic value of sport in Ireland and the importance of volunteering.
Representing the Federation will be CEO Mary O’Connor and Chairperson Clare McGrath.