Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been in the process of searching for a new CEO for LIV Golf in recent months. The search, conducted by London-based Odgers Berndtson, aims to find a replacement for current CEO Greg Norman. While the search has been discreet, it has targeted top executives in the sports business sector, such as Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark, although talks with Yormark did not progress.
Odgers Berndtson has previously worked with PIF when they hired Paul Mitchell as the sporting director for Newcastle United. Meanwhile, LIV Golf has been utilizing the services of CAA Sports and Egon Zehnder for other leadership searches.
Despite the impending CEO change, Greg Norman is expected to remain with LIV in a senior leadership capacity. The exact nature of his role once a new CEO is appointed remains uncertain, but Norman continues to enjoy support from within the organization.
In addition to the CEO position, PIF and Norman are also looking to enhance LIV Golf’s executive leadership team by adding roles such as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Chief Legal Officer (CLO) among other C-Suite positions. The timing of these leadership decisions is currently unknown.
LIV recently welcomed Nike’s Ilana Finley as the new Chief Communications Officer, further strengthening its leadership team. However, some prominent figures in the golf world, including Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, have expressed the belief that Norman’s departure is necessary for the co-existence of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Speculation has arisen following the recent Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour, where PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan played alongside key figures from PIF and LIV Golf. The presence of DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings has fueled rumors of potential discussions between the parties. With a new CEO set to join LIV, there is anticipation that talks could progress at a faster pace.
Both LIV and PIF declined to comment on the developments. As the search for a new CEO continues and discussions regarding the future leadership of LIV Golf unfold, the golfing world eagerly awaits the next steps for the organization.
