Jamie O’Connor has announced he will step down from his role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with Touch Football Australia (TFA) at the end of the year.
O’Connor joined TFA in 2018 as Chief Operating Officer and was promoted to the CEO position in 2019 – and has since navigated the sport through the pandemic, led the transition of TFA’s membership model, and leaves the sport in its healthiest-ever position with financial, commercial, and participation metrics at an all-time high.
TFA Chair, Erin Taylor paid tribute to O’Connor’s contributions following his announcement.
“As Chair of the TFA Board, it has been a privilege to work alongside Jamie and witness his exceptional leadership over the last seven years. Jamie has been instrumental in shaping the sport's success guiding us through the pandemic, growing our commercial base through globally recognised partners, enhancing the sport with the highest number of junior participants ever, and sustaining the success of the Athelite Australian Emus teams in all international events,” Taylor said.
“Internally, he has fostered a culture of excellence which has created an exceptionally skilled and resilient team around him. While we are saddened to see Jamie depart, we are deeply grateful for his unwavering dedication and the lasting impact he has made. On behalf of the TFA Board and staff, we wish Jamie all the best in his future endeavours and thank him for his remarkable contributions.”
O’Connor determined that the time was right for him to step aside, looking ahead to the sport’s next strategic cycle and its successes on and off the field in his time in the role.
“I have been in the role for six years, and in that time, we have achieved some fantastic outcomes. The new membership model sets the organisation up for the future, we have never had more kids playing our sport, commercially the business is as strong as it ever has been, we have invested heavily into our Emus program and went within a whisker of winning every match at the Touch World Cup earlier this year,” O’Connor said.
“With the organisation about to enter a new strategic cycle, I think it is important that the next CEO has the ability to come in and shape the direction of the sport. I have played my part, and now is the right time for someone else to come in and lead the sport in its next phase.”
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to lead such a wonderful sport filled with so many great people. I have been fortunate to have worked alongside a really talented leadership team and two fearless leaders in Anita Hagarty and Erin Taylor as Chairs of the Board during my time and thank them all for their unwavering support and leadership over the past seven years.”
The TFA Board will consider and discuss the transition phase following O’Connor’s departure, ahead of the process of appointing TFA’s next CEO.
