Hockey Australia appoints Josie Brown as new Chief Executive Officer

Hockey Australia has appointed Josie Brown as Chief Executive Officer, effective 19 October 2026. Brown brings 15+ years of senior executive experience in transformational leadership and commercial strategy, most recently as Chief Marketing Officer at Endeavour Group, Australia's largest retail and hospitality business.

The appointment follows a comprehensive recruitment process supported by Derwent Executive Search, attracting significant interest from senior leaders across Australia, reflecting enthusiasm for Hockey Australia's transformational agenda.

THE MOMENT

Hockey Australia is stepping onto the Green and Gold Runway to Brisbane 2032. The sport is back on the rise: Hook-In-2-Hockey participation is growing at 12% annually; the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos are competing at elite international levels, including strong recent performances at the FIH World Cup; a new Hockey Centre of Excellence is under construction in Perth; and Masters hockey continues to be a growth story and global model for sport for life.

The Board has established a bold Strategic Direction to 2035 and a detailed three-year Strategic Plan demanding transformational leadership. Brown will lead Hockey Australia's evolution from a traditional national sporting organisation into a modern, commercially resilient, fan-centric business of hockey, enabling performances that are consistently competitive at the world's highest levels.

ABOUT JOSIE BROWN

Josie's background spans transformational commercial leadership, federated stakeholder management, and sport. She served as Chief Marketing Officer at Endeavour Group, (1,700+ stores and 350 hospitality venues). Prior to that her role as Chief Marketing & Insights Officer at Tennis Australia oversaw promotion of the Australian Open and national brand transformation initiatives and involved close support for high-performance teams and partnering with elite athletes.

She brings genuine passion for the game alongside extensive professional credentials in stakeholder alignment, commercial acumen, and transformational leadership.

VISION & IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES

On her appointment, Brown said: "I am thrilled to lead Hockey Australia as we write the next chapter for our game.

“Throughout my career leading customer strategy and driving commercial growth, one truth has always stood out: sustainable revenue and brand strength come from placing the end user at the very centre of your organisation. In hockey, our 'customers' are our participants, volunteers, clubs, and fans. My priority is to bring that customer-led focus directly into Hockey Australia; deepening engagement, modernising participant experiences and unlocking new, high-value commercial partnerships that reinvest back into the game.

“At the pinnacle, our iconic national teams, the Hockeyroos and the Kookaburras, do something truly special: they inspire the next generation, unite our entire hockey family and captivate the nation on the world stage. Their pursuit of excellence drives the commercial and cultural visibility that lifts the entire game.

“Hockey is a genuine sport for life, welcoming people of all backgrounds, abilities and generations. My vision for this role is to grow the community of people who feel they belong and care about Australian Hockey. By broadening hockey’s national appeal, we increase commercial vitality and inspire the next generation of players and fans.

“Delivering this vision requires strong partnerships. I look forward to working closely with our Member Associations, commercial partners, athletes, and government stakeholders to build an enduring, financially robust legacy for Australian hockey.”

Brown will immediately establish relationships with Australian hockey Member Associations, high-performance athletes and coaching staff, commercial partners, and government stakeholders, advancing and escalating the delivery plan aligned to the three strategic pillars: Resilient hockey enterprise, One million customers, and Consistently top three.

QUOTES

Sally Carbon OAM FAICD OLY, Hockey Australia Chair and President:

"Josie's appointment marks a turning point for Hockey Australia. Her track record of transformational leadership, combined with her genuine understanding of federated stakeholder environments and commercial strategy, makes her ideally suited to execute our strategic mandate. We are thrilled to welcome her to the role."

All statements above can be attributed to Sally Carbon, Chair.