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Jersey Sport welcome David Kennedy as new Chief Executive Officer to drive sport and physical activity forward

Jersey Sport is delighted to welcome David Kennedy as their new Chief Executive Officer. David has worked in sports development most of his adult life, experiencing all the challenges, excitement, and rewards that make sport such an integral part of island life. He is excited about leading the organisation on their mission to inspire, lead, and enable positive wellbeing for all through lifelong engagement with sport and physical activity.

In his last four years as CEO of the Jersey Football Association, David has seen first-hand the many and varied challenges that sports continue to face. An immediate priority in his role as CEO will be to ensure that Jersey Sport can provide support at this very challenging time, although understanding that level of support will differ across the island’s huge spectrum of sports clubs. Increasing travel and facility costs, along with the continual challenge of recruiting volunteers, are forcing sports to make difficult decisions in what they can or want to achieve. Having recently launched the Jersey Sport SupportIn Sport Fund, a new Fundraising Strategy, and the soon to be launched Government Performance Sport initiative, an early priority as new CEO will be to ensure the benefits of these new funding opportunities are maximised. Jersey Sport also aims to further promote its charitable status and purposes with a particular focus on reducing the inequalities that exist in Jersey and ensuring that sport and physical activity is accessible to anyone.

David Kennedy, CEO at Jersey Sport said, “It is with a huge sense of pride and privilege that I now take up the role of CEO at Jersey Sport and I look forward to using my experience within the sports sector over the coming years for the betterment of sport and physical activity in Jersey.

The opportunity to lead Jersey Sport undoubtedly comes with huge levels of scrutiny and I am under no illusions as to the task that lies ahead. Just nine months ago, the Government of Jersey-led Sports Review was published and was critical of the resourcing of sport and the lack of clarity on the role of Jersey Sport. Since then, there has been a huge amount of work carried out by the staff at Jersey Sport and I take over at a time when many of the recommendations have been implemented. However, we shall not be complacent and will work with our partners in government to bring a conclusion to the review and ensure the development of island sport is served to the levels it deserves.”

As Jersey Sport’s CEO, David is fully aware that Jersey Sport will be judged by the impact it makes rather than the good intentions it has. The organisation will need to create strong partnerships that drive forward the provision of sport and physical activity in Jersey, underpinned with an interdependency for success. With this in mind, David would love to hear from anyone who shares a passion for making Jersey a better place to live through sport.

Steve Law, interim Chair at Jersey Sport said, “We are extremely fortunate to have David Kennedy begin as our new CEO at such an important time. David’s background and vast experience within Jersey’s sporting landscape will serve to strengthen Jersey Sport’s resolve and ability to act in the best interests of both sport and physical activity for Jersey. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Mark Wanless for his time leading Jersey Sport as interim CEO over the last six months and I welcome David to the role. I look forward to what I’m sure will be a successful tenure, both for David personally, but also for Jersey Sport and our island as a whole.”

David added, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers across the sports community for their ongoing dedication and devotion, and for providing opportunities that far too often go unnoticed. Without you, Jersey would be a very different island and I will do everything I can to further recognise these efforts during my tenure.”

To find out more about the work of Jersey Sport, please visit: www.jerseysport.je

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