British Dressage (BD) chief executive David Holmes has been appointed to the key position of Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Executive Director, Sports. He will lead the FEI sports departments and manage their planning, financial and operational activities.
This new, high-profile post will involve monitoring the liaison with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the organising committees in charge of the Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Olympic Games. David will also coordinate the FEI World Equestrian Games, regional games and championships.
David said: “The past nine years at BD have been challenging, rewarding and incredibly enjoyable. The role at the FEI is a great opportunity to take some of the ideas and skills that I’ve learnt and apply them on the world stage. It’s a real pleasure to have the chance to contribute to equestrianism at the highest level and to know what a difference we can make across all aspects of equestrian sport.”
David will move to Switzerland to the join the FEI at their headquarters in Lausanne, starting on 1 September 2008.
BD chairman Jennie Loriston-Clarke said: “David has worked tirelessly day and night for BD with unlimited energy. He will be much missed, not only by British dressage, but also by the British Equestrian Federation and the other societies based at Stoneleigh. He will be a great asset to the FEI; they are lucky to have someone with his expertise, in-depth knowledge of all the equestrian sports and people skills.”
David has been instrumental in developing dressage in this country to become more approachable and transparent. He has put in place a clear decision-making process which stretches from the board of directors to the technical committees on to the regional committees and back again.
Together with the board of directors, David has also instigated the creation of BD’s first strategic plan to take the sport to the next level.
Source: British Dressage
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