Richard Brisius and Johan Salén have been appointed as President and
co-President of the Volvo Ocean Race, taking over from the outgoing
chief executive, Mark Turner. The duo founded Atlant Ocean Racing together and have worked with
seven Volvo Ocean Race campaigns over the past 28 years, starting as
sailors in the 1989-90 race, before finding success with team
management, including winning efforts EF Language (1997-98) and Ericsson
4 (2008-09), as well as second place finishers, Assa Abloy (2001-02),
and Intrum Justitia (1993-94).
Most recently, the pair managed Team SCA, the all-female entry, in the last edition of the race.
“It’s an honour to be involved with my friends in the Volvo Ocean
Race again. The race is at the very heart of the sport of sailing and it
has formed the backbone of so much of my life,” Brisius said.
“At the core of the Volvo Ocean Race are some of the very best
athletes in the world, racing in what I think must be the most
relentless competition. Their efforts and determination inspire people
across the world, and creates outstanding value for partners and host
cities.”
Brisius is currently the CEO of the company owned by the National
Olympic Committee, running Sweden’s bid to host the Winter Olympics and
Paralympics in 2026 and he will remain in that role.
Johan Salén has worked alongside Brisius on all of their previous
Volvo Ocean Race projects. He will take a leading role in both
operations and in devising a strategy for the future of the event
alongside the current leadership team.
“When we see what is happening on the water during Leg 2 from Lisbon
to Cape Town, it is impossible not to be impressed by how the teams are
performing and the way the race is being presented to fans and
stakeholders,” Salén said. “And I have no doubt the next few months of
this race will continue to be fantastic for our teams, sailors, and
fans.
“Looking forward, it is clear we need to work closely with Volvo and
all stakeholders, including future teams, sailors and commercial
partners, to create something even greater for the future.
“I know that process is already underway with the existing leadership
team. We all know the importance of setting a clear roadmap for the
future in terms of event timing and class of boat as well as the
commercial offering.”
Henry Sténson Chairman of the Volvo Ocean Race board, said he feels
the experience Richard and Johan bring will benefit all stakeholders of
the race.
“Both Richard and Johan have this race in their blood having competed
as sailors and then working together to create and lead commercially
successful and winning teams such as Ericsson 4 and EF Language,” he
said.
“We believe this expertise on the team side is critical in terms of
understanding what is required to make the race successful for teams and
partners. We are confident we can now build on what has been put in
place by Mark and his team to create a strong foundation for the
future.”
The current Volvo Ocean Race leadership team will remain in their
roles, working closely with Richard and Johan to deliver exciting racing
for fans, and exceptional value for stakeholders.
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