The Irish Athletic Boxing Association is delighted to welcome Gary Stewart as CEO, following a highly competitive recruitment process managed by Ascension Recruitment on behalf of IABA.
Gary is an experienced NBG leader, joining IABA from IABA from Volleyball Ireland. Under his leadership, Volleyball Ireland has experienced significant positive change, including notable revenue increases, a successful re-brand, successive year-on-year growth in member numbers and becoming the first sports body to win the Carmichael Annual Report Good Governance Award. Before joining Volleyball Ireland, Gary was a Sports Programme Manager with Sport Ireland.
Gary Stewart says “It’s a great honour to join IABA, and Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport. There no other sport that positively impacts society and communities in the away that Boxing does – highlighting, supporting and growing that impact is a very exciting prospect. I’m looking forward to working with dedicated staff, Central Council and clubs to continue the great work that goes on day-in-day-out in every facet of the Association. I’m grateful to Niall and the board for giving me this opportunity at a pivotal time in the life of Irish Boxing. I can’t wait to get started.”
IABA is in the midst of a period of positive change and growth, which includes securing Irish boxing’s Olympic future by joining the IOC-affiliated World Boxing following a vote of members and the appointment in April of Jon Mackey as National Performance Director.
Chair of IABA’s Board of Directors, Niall O’Carroll, says “Gary’s appointment is another exciting step in the development of Irish Boxing towards being a gold-standard NGB, in governance, sporting, participation and commercial terms. IABA is ripe for growth in Gary’s key expertise areas of brand, marketing and strategic planning. His previous experience, as Sports Programme Manager at Sport Ireland National Sports Campus, ensures Gary has first-hand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for clubs at a grassroots level, and a keen sense of how to scale participation across all areas of Irish boxing. I, the IABA’s Board of Directors and the IABA’s Central Council led by President Anto Donnelly, are very much looking forward to working with Gary to ensure the very brightest future for our sport.”
The Board of Directors of IABA extends its thanks to Chief Financial Officer, John Nangle, who has served as Interim CEO since September of 2022. John has guided the Association through periods of flux and challenge. During his tenure, IABA launched its 2024-2028 strategic plan, “In Your Corner”, engaged in reform of the electoral process, constitutional reform, secured agreement from clubs on dual International Federation membership and expansion of the Board of Directors. Niall says “John’s interim leadership of IABA ensured much-needed stability, and contributed to laying the foundation for the progressive path the Association is now on. The Board and I are grateful to John for his leadership during a challenging period.”