WTA chairman Steve Simon has informed the WTA board of directors of his intention to retire after a decade of service to the WTA and will step down from his role in December, the governing body of women’s tennis has confirmed.
Since joining the WTA in 2015, Simon will have served as chairman for 10 years.
Throughout his tenure at the WTA, Simon has championed the long-term growth of women’s tennis and advocated for the values of women’s empowerment and equality on which the WTA was founded. Working closely with the WTA’s player and tournament members, Simon has led ambitious plans to modernize the structure of the women’s professional circuit which includes a committed $400 million increase in player compensation over the next 10 years, creation of the WTA Foundation to elevate its social impact in communities around the world, and the ground-breaking partnership with CVC Capital Partners to establish a new division of WTA Ventures to accelerate commercial growth and drive reinvestment in the sport.
Simon has also been a leading advocate for efforts to address the current fragmentation of professional tennis for the benefit of the players, tournaments, fans and other stakeholders.
Simon first informed the WTA board of his planned retirement this past fall. To ensure a smooth transition, the board will now begin a comprehensive selection process for the chair position, supported by the global executive search firm Elevate Talent.
Following the implementation last year of a new leadership structure separating the roles of chair and CEO, the chair will focus on providing effective governance, setting the long-term vision and strategy for the WTA, and working with the wider tennis community to continue to develop the sport. In addition, the chair will represent the WTA at a global level and address the major issues that affect the sport.
Simon stated: “…With an excellent leadership team and strong foundation in place, the WTA now has the structure, investment and talent to achieve its aspirations as it embarks on an exciting future. It is the right time for me to announce my retirement so that the board has the fullest opportunity to appoint a new chair that will lead the continued growth and development of this exceptional organization.”
