IPC Appoints Chief Executive

(ATR) The International Paralympic Committee finds its new chief executive officer after a six month search.

Mike Peters, who had been serving as the interim CEO since Xavier Gonzalez left in March, was promoted with immediate effect to the position on a permanent basis on Friday.

Peters joined the IPC in March 2015 as Chief of Staff and Acting Director of the Membership Engagement Department. In July 2018 he was appointed Chief Operating Officer.

He captained the USA 7-a-side football team at the Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004 Paralympic Games before earning his law degree in 2009. He served as a legal officer for the IPC during the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

"As a Paralympic athlete, I witnessed first-hand the ability of the Paralympic Movement to change lives and communities," Peters said in a statement. "It is the privilege of my professional life to lead the IPC and I am very excited about the role and the trust the IPC Governing Board has placed in me."

IPC President Andrew Parsons said Peters was the only internal applicant among 180 candidates from around the world but was the unanimous choice by the IPC Governing Board.

"His knowledge, experience and passion for the role and the Paralympic Movement, as well as his vision to transform the culture of the IPC and make the organization more membership focused, placed him head and shoulders above all other candidates," Parsons said.

When Gonzalez announced his departure on March 22, he said that he was stepping away from the organization as it "[embarks] on a new strategic direction".

Peters reiterated that in his comments on Friday, saying it was important "to recognize this new and exciting era facing the IPC, one that requires a meaningful shift in how we do business."

"In the office, we are fostering an environment where individuals are recognized for their unique contributions, empowered to make decisions and encouraged to be bold in pursuing our mission and upholding our values. With members, we are embracing our commitment to be an open, fair and collaborative organization for all, and are working to create new and helpful engagement opportunities.

"What the IPC has achieved during its first three decades has been absolutely incredible, and I am thrilled about what more we can do in the Paralympic Movement together in the years to come."

Written by Gerard Farek

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