BACK<\/p>\n
PRESS RELEASE 31 MAR 2016, 11:03 UTC<\/p>\n
SHARE<\/p>\n
Mark Turner appointed Volvo Ocean Race CEO<\/p>\n
Download<\/p>\n
Mark Turner\/OC Sport<\/p>\n
Download<\/p>\n
Ainhoa Sanchez \/Volvo Ocean Race<\/p>\n
Download<\/p>\n
Ainhoa Sanchez \/ Volvo Ocean Race<\/p>\n
Mark Turner, one of the most respected figures in professional sailing, has been appointed Volvo Ocean Race CEO, stepping down after 23 years at the helm of global sports marketing company OC Sport (full story below).<\/p>\n
– Will take up new role from June<\/p>\n
– Brings sailing, management and marketing expertise to role<\/p>\n
– \u2018Huge responsibility’ to follow Frostad, says Turner<\/p>\n
– \u2018I want to inspire and engage more fans, sailors and sponsors\u2019<\/p>\n
ALICANTE, Spain, March 31 \u2013 Mark Turner, one of the most respected figures in professional sailing, has been appointed Volvo Ocean Race CEO, stepping down after 23 years at the helm of global sports marketing company OC Sport.<\/p>\n
The Briton, who competed in offshore sailing\u2019s leading international event as a Whitbread Round-the-World sailor in 1989, and masterminded the Dongfeng Race Team project in the 2014-15 edition, will take up his new position in succession to Knut Frostad from June 7 this year.<\/p>\n
Turner, 48, said: \u201cThere probably isn\u2019t any other post in sailing that could have attracted me today after taking OC Sport through so many different areas of the sport over the last two decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a significant responsibility for me to take over the leadership from Knut, who has done such an excellent job of transforming the race in to the sport\u2019s biggest and most commercially viable top-level event.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the race with the most significant global footprint in both media and business-to-business terms, and a fascinating history dating back to 1973, there is a huge responsibility not only to the numerous stakeholders, Volvo, and the other team and event partners, but also to the sport of sailing in general. It\u2019s a platform that can really help shape the future of the sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cI certainly hope I can add some value and vision to the excellent work of the great team already in place in Alicante, and through that, help to inspire and engage more and more fans, sailors and sponsors, in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Henry Stenson, chairman of the Volvo Ocean Race board, said he was delighted with the appointment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been a long and thorough process, but I know that in Mark we have found the right person to take on this very challenging role,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a man with the expertise, determination and vision to take the event to the next stage after all the great work done by Knut, and Mark has all these attributes in abundance. The future under his guidance looks very exciting indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turner has competed in many of the sport’s leading events including the Transat Jacques Vabre and the Mini Transat, but really made his name in the sport by masterminding Briton Ellen MacArthur\u2019s successful Vend\u00e9e Globe race in 2001 when she finished second.<\/p>\n
He then oversaw her breaking the solo circumnavigation of the world record in 2005, taking the sport to a wider audience than ever before, both in their native United Kingdom, but also around the world.<\/p>\n
Turner went on to launch the very successful Extreme Sailing Series with OC Sport as well as many other leading adventure sports events.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cMy personal chapter with OC Sport is now ending, but the spirit and achievements will continue, I\u2019m sure, with the strong team I\u2019m leaving behind.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been an honour to work with so many motivated and talented people over the years, and to have been able to use the sporting platforms we\u2019ve created to inspire people from all walks of life.<\/p>\n
\u201cOC Sport has enabled me to challenge the norm and innovate in many areas \u2013 something that I\u2019m sure the company will continue to strive to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turner has stepped down fully from OC Sport as both board director and shareholder.<\/p>\n
Turner, who is also a very keen cyclist, swimmer and skier, will now undertake a period of leave before taking up his new responsibilities with the race, ahead of the 13th edition in 2017-18 which starts in October next year.<\/p>\n
Short biography<\/p>\n
Born: Isle of Wight, England in July 1967<\/p>\n
1985-90 \u2013 Lieutenant, Seaman Officer, Royal Navy<\/p>\n
1989-90\u00a0\u2013 Competed in Whitbread Round the World Race on British Defender<\/p>\n
1989-92\u00a0\u2013 Operations, Sales and Marketing Director, Winning Winches<\/p>\n
1992-98 \u2013 Marketing Director, Spinlock<\/p>\n
1993-2016 \u2013 Founder and Executive Chairman, OC Sport<\/p>\n
June 2016 \u2013 CEO, Volvo Ocean Race<\/p>\n
via Mark Turner appointed Volvo Ocean Race CEO| Volvo Ocean Race<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" BACK PRESS RELEASE 31 MAR 2016, 11:03 UTC SHARE Mark Turner appointed Volvo Ocean Race CEO Download Mark Turner\/OC Sport Download Ainhoa Sanchez \/Volvo Ocean Race Download Ainhoa Sanchez \/ Volvo Ocean Race Mark Turner, one of the most respected … Continue reading