Sir Philip Craven, one of the ITIA’s independent board members will be stepping down this month after four years on the ITIA Board. A former President of the International Paralympic Committee and International Olympic Committee member, Sir Philip was appointed to the Board in 2019.
Looking back on his four years on the board, Sir Philip said, “I have really enjoyed my time with the ITIA, the board welcomed me with open arms. Like any board, we don’t always agree but when we have come to a decision, it is backed unanimously, and we come up with what we think is the right decision for the integrity of tennis.”
He continued, “I am confident the sport is on the right footing and when the big decisions come along, the sport makes the right choices – based on fair play. I am very happy to have had these last four years and wish everyone involved continued success.”
Jennie Price, Chair of the ITIA commented, “Working with Sir Philip has been a joy for everyone. His commitment to integrity in sport is well-known and the board, the wider team and tennis as a whole has benefited from his straight-talking and good humour. His presence will be missed and we wish him well.”
The ITIA is pleased to announce that Sir Philip’s vacated position on the board will be filled from 1 November 2023 by Ebru Köksal, CFA, a leading figure in international football with a reputation for standing up for integrity.
Following an exhaustive selection process, Ebru - whose decades of experience in sports governance includes spells as CEO and Board Member of Galatasaray, General Secretary of the Turkish Football Federation, and a consultant to FIFA and UEFA – proved the stand-out candidate to replace Sir Philip on the ITIA Board.
Ebru, an alumna of Brown University with a double degree in Economics and International Relations and graduate of Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, began her career in investment banking on Wall Street before beginning a successful transition into sport at the turn of the century with Galatasaray. Since then, Ebru has shared her expertise with organisations all over the world as a non-executive director, including the Professional Footballers’ Association in the UK, Australia’s A-Leagues, the European Club Association and Women in Football, which she chairs.
Ebru said: “Tennis is no different from many sports in terms of the risks of people breaking the rules, but I am impressed by the proactive way it is working together to mitigate those risks. Working with the sport, the Board and the executive team at the ITIA we can unlock opportunities for the sport through its integrity efforts.
“I am looking forward to bringing my experiences from football and applying them to tennis – a sport that is already putting integrity at the top of the agenda."
Speaking on the appointment, Jennie Price said: “We are delighted that Ebru will be joining the ITIA Board. She brings significant leadership experience in sport, and it has been clear throughout the selection process that her values are aligned with those of the ITIA.
“Ebru’s global expertise, knowledge and perspective will be an extremely valuable addition to the Board and we look forward to working together in the years ahead.”
The ITIA Board is made up of four directors nominated by the tennis members and five independent directors, chaired by Jennie Price CBE. Its role is to set the strategy of the ITIA and oversee its work running the sport’s anti-doping and anti-corruption programmes.
Ends
Published 23 October 2023 15:00
