(Toronto) Michael Downey will step down as CEO of Tennis Canada at the end of December, the nation’s tennis organization announced on Tuesday.
The identity of the person who will succeed him at the head of Tennis Canada is unknown for the moment.
“Tennis Canada’s Board of Directors, with the support of a major recruitment firm, has already begun the search for a new CEO,” said the organization’s press release. .
Downey will therefore be retiring after a 15-year career spanning two stints with Tennis Canada.
During his first mandate, which lasted from 2004 to 2013, Downey notably distinguished himself by developing a plan to diversify and increase the National Bank Open’s revenues in order to reinvest them in high performance and the development of tennis in Canada.
“I was inspired by young and proud Canadians named Milos, Eugenie, Gaby, Aleks, Vasek, Rebecca, Félix, Bianca, Denis, Leylah Annie and, of course, the legendary Daniel [Nestor]. They rose to prominence through their accomplishments on and off the pitch. But their greatest legacy will be the influence they have had on the next generation of Canadian talent which, in due time, will ensure Canada remains a world leader in tennis,” Downey said in a statement.
Downey then served as CEO of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) from 2013 to 2017, before returning home in July 2017.