After six years as Chief Executive, it has been confirmed that Zara Hyde Peters OBE will leave British Triathlon (BTF). Zara feels it is the right time to move on and take up a new challenge.
Zara joined BTF shortly after its creation out of the old British Triathlon Association. With the twin aims of building a strong governance model and creating greater financial stability for the sport, Zara led the organisation on a journey that saw unparalleled success.
Working alongside the Boards of BTF and Triathlon England, the sport of triathlon has undergone a massive growth in participation in Great Britain, a significant shift in public profile and capped an amazing four-year journey when record crowds lined the route in Hyde Park to cheer home the first two triathletes to ever win Olympic medals for Team GB, Alistair and Jonny Brownlee.
Governance has flourished, with British Triathlon twice winning ‘Governing Body of the Year’, awarded by the Sport Industry Group.
Zara Hyde Peters said “It is a hard decision to step away from this role and this sport. The last six years have been some of the most enjoyable of my working life. But one of our organisation values is embracing change, something I am putting into practice with a move to a new leadership challenge through joining the NHS Executive Fast Track programme, part of the NHS’s drive for innovation, to bring fresh ideas, perspective and thinking into positions in the health service, and to work alongside the talented leaders who are already working in the NHS.”
She continued, “Triathlon is a young sport and is still developing, so I look forward to watching the further growth and success of the sport. I have been Chief Executive for six incredible years and just as good governance dictates that Boards should evolve and change, I genuinely believe that the same is true of the staff leadership.
“I am proud of the triathlon governing bodies, and I am personally proud of the direct contribution I have been able to make to the development of British Triathlon and Triathlon England where I have served as CEO. The World-Class Programmes are the best supported that they have ever been and continued media coverage of the sport will ensure that the journey to Rio is every bit as exciting as it was to London – with not just Olympic but this time also Paralympic aspirations. In the wake of our most successful ever World Championships performance in 2013 both at elite and within the unique age-group racing community, the sport has much to look forward to in the years ahead.”
Ian Howard, President of the BTF commented “Of course, we are sorry to see Zara go, and we wish her the very best, but she leaves triathlon in fantastic shape for the future. We now have the systems, funding, athletes and staff to take the sport forward to Rio and beyond.”
He added, “Zara has played a leading role in the development of stakeholder confidence helping to secure record funding support for the sport from both UK Sport and Sport England, and from our commercial sponsors. Zara will be a hard act to follow, but the BTF Board will now begin its search for a replacement, with further details to follow.”
