Peterson to join Rowing New Zealand as CEO

Rowing New Zealand has announced Simon Peterson as its new Chief Executive.

Currently CEO of Sport Auckland – a position he has held since 2000 - Simon has been Chairman of Paralympics New Zealand for the past six years and is a Board member of the Pinnacle programme. He is also a former professional cricket coach and professional cricketer.

Peterson (40) will join the organisation at the beginning of March and will work in conjunction with the Board of Rowing New Zealand to deliver its long term strategy – which focuses on building on the success in the sport in recent years and maintaining the development and growth of rowing at a domestic level.

Rowing has achieved considerable success in recent years on the international sporting stage. In 2008 international athletes secured nine major medals including an Olympic gold and two Olympic bronze medals.

Of the 60 international medals won by international rowers for New Zealand since 1928, almost a third (32.2 per cent) have been won in the past five years.

“Rowing has a clear mission to be both the best rowing nation in the world and the most successful Olympic and international sport in New Zealand,” explained Simon. “I hope my expertise and knowledge in the wider sporting arena will assist the whole team – which includes many very committed athletes, coaches, administrators and volunteers – to achieve their goals.”

Rowing New Zealand Chairman Bill Falconer was delighted to have secured the services of Peterson after a long and closely scrutinised search for the right man since the departure of Craig Ross in 2007.

“We have always believed the choice to be a critical one for the future of the sport,” he explained. “We have had some excellent candidates, but nobody who ticked all of the boxes on our ideal candidate list. Simon does that and importantly for the sport, has committed to being based at our brand new High Performance Centre five days a week. If we are to take the sport of rowing to the levels we are hoping for, that has to be an important factor.”

Falconer also paid tribute to interim CEO Luke van Velthooven who he said had done a ‘stunning’ job in the role on a part-time basis from his base in Blenheim in the last two months. Van Velthooven will continue in the role until Peterson joins the organisation.