Who Is David Moffett
He’s an Englishman who has spent all his working adult life in Australia and New Zealand and he’s just been appointed
David Moffett was born in Doncaster on 17 May, 1947 but spent much of his early life in Kenya. His family emigrated to Brisbane, Australia in 1963 and he completed his schooling at Brisbane Boys’ College.
After leaving school he worked in a range of positions before owning and selling Pacific Waste Management, one of Sydney’s largest commercial and industrial waste management companies.
In 1992, David turned his strong business background to sporting administration and became involved in periods of landmark change in both rugby union and rugby league.
He became executive director of the New South Wales Rugby Union in 1992, when he found himself saddled with A$6m debt. By the time he moved on three years later, when he became the chief executive of South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby (SANZAR), the NSWRU was debt free.
While at SANZAR, David negotiated international television contracts and supervised the establishment of the Super 12 competition.
In 1996, he became the first ‘non-Kiwi’ to be appointed chief executive of the New Zealand Rugby Union, helping to guide the body from its amateur status to be among New Zealand’s top 200 companies.
David crossed the Tasman once more in November, 1999 when he took up the post of chief executive of the National Rugby League of Australia.
Once again, he entered a new role at callenging times as the game in Australia moved towards a 14-team competition. In his two-year tenure he negotiated long-term sponsorship and television rights which provided the financial stability for the code. He also highlighted the need for major structural change in the game’s administration.
In January of this year (2002) he joined Sport England as its chief
executive with a brief to modernise England’s leading sports
development agency. He announced earlier this month he was stepping down from that post having been responsible for driving through a modernisation plan.
Married to Lauren, and with two children, Graeme and Kirsten, David
has a strong sporting background. He has played rugby union, cricket, football, hockey, tennis, squash and golf at a competitive level and remains actively involved in cycling, hiking and walking.