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Basketball Australia (BA) has announced that former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally will be appointed as the organisation's new Chief Executive, effective from 3rd August 2012.

Ex-Premier Keneally, the current Member for the NSW seat of Heffron, is resigning from NSW Parliament in order to take up the position. She will also cease her role as Chair of BA, a position she took up in December last year.

As a result of the appointment, BA Board member Justin Milne will immediately assume the role of Chair of the BA Board until a new Chair is appointed.

Milne, who chaired the committee searching for a new Chief Executive following the adrupt departure of former postholder Larry Sengstock in April, said the BA Board was very pleased by the quality of the candidates who put themselves forward for the job.

Milne explained "the Board had an extremely competitive field of candidates to choose from, and applicants from within and outside sport.

"However, the Board felt Kristina presented a complete package to BA: demonstrated leadership skills; strong understanding of community, government and the private sector; and excellent communication abilities.

"Her national profile, combined with her energy and her passion for the sport, will give basketball a significant boost in Australia."

Acting Chief Exectuive and BA Board member Scott Derwin said the move was yet another coup for Basketball Australia, adding "Kristina has more than proven her worth to Basketball Australia during her short time as Chair; we've all been extremely impressed with how much she's done to take the organisation in a new direction.

"There's no better time to be involved in Australian Basketball. It's an Olympic year, and all four of our international teams are ranked in the top 10 in the world.

"The sport has moved forward in leaps and bounds over recent years, and the Board looks forward to seeing Kristina build on that success in her new role as CEO."

Keneally said she looks forward to rolling up her sleeves and getting to work, concluding "I've loved working with Basketball Australia during my time as Chair we've achieved a lot in a short space of time, including a new and improved NBL television deal with Network Ten, the establishment of the WNBL Commission, and return of the NBL All Stars game.

"Now, with the Olympics and Paralympics ahead of us, our teams are set to strut on the world stage.

"Basketball in Australia has a solid success story to tell: we're ranked as one of the top-five basketball playing nations in the world; our success at an international level is something other Australian codes can only dream about.

"Beyond this year's Olympics, our vision is to capitalise on that success in a big way to put Australian Basketball front and centre on our shores."

The Hon Kristina Keneally MP served as the first female Premier of NSW from 2009 to 2011.

For more information www.basketball.net.au 

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