Simon to relinquish role as WTA CEO, remain as executive chairman

WTA CEO Steve Simon. File.
| Photo Credit: AP

WTA boss Steve Simon will relinquish his role as CEO but stay on as executive chairman, the governing body of women’s tennis said on December 12 as it announced an organisational restructure.

Simon has been chairman and chief executive of the WTA for eight years but has come under increasing fire from the players recently, not least over the decision to hold the season-ending WTA Finals outdoors in the Mexican resort of Cancun.

The revised structure will separate the roles of chairman and CEO to allow greater focus on the WTA’s mission and goals, the WTA said in a statement, adding that the new CEO will be tasked with managing and growing its operations.

“Once the position of CEO has been filled, Simon will assume the role of executive chairman,” the WTA said.

“In this role, Simon will focus on governance, strategic interests of the WTA within the sport, integrity issues and the development of new markets and frontiers for the WTA.”

The governing body said Simon would also continue to serve as chair of the board of WTA Ventures – a new commercial entity that was formed earlier this year.

The hunt for the new WTA CEO will be supported by global executive search firm Korn Ferry.

Micky Lawler, who has served as president since 2015, had decided to leave the organisation at the end of the year to pursue new opportunities.