Chris Nikou elected FFA’s chair as the post-Lowy era begins
Chris Nikou has been elected as Football Federation Australia's (FFA) new chair, replacing Steven Lowy following his decision to step down.
Key points:
- Four directors were elected to the FFA board
- Remo Nogaratto gained the final position when Stephen Conroy withdrew
- The Lowy family ends a 15-year association with the FFA board
Mr Nikou had been elected as one of four new directors on the FFA board at a lengthy annual general meeting in Sydney earlier on Monday afternoon, before being announced as Mr Lowy's replacement.
The Melbourne-based lawyer, who has previous FFA board experience, was appointed as a director alongside Heather Reid, Joseph Carrozzi and Remo Nogarotto.
Ms Reid was named as the FFA's deputy chair.
"The less we talk about administrators [the] better. Let's get back to football … It's important we put the line in the sand and focus on what we can do," Mr Nikou said.
Mr Nikou said the FFA could not be "everything to everybody" but he was keen to fast-track A-League expansion talks with the new-look board now in place.
"Expansion is probably the number one priority the new board needs to address," he said.
Mr Nogarotto gained the fourth and final available director position after former Labor government minister Stephen Conroy withdrew his candidacy following multiple rounds of voting.
Monday's vote came after Mr Lowy signalled he would resign as chair last month, bringing his family's 15-year hold over power in the sport to an end.
Sir Frank Lowy had headed up the FFA since its establishment in 2003, handing over the reins to his son Steven in 2015.
Ms Reid, who ran ACT's Capital Football for 12 years, attracted more than 90 per cent of the votes in the opening ballot to be the best-supported candidate.
"We're in pretty good shape, however there is a lot of work to do … I'm looking forward to rolling up my sleeves," Ms Reid said.
She was joined on the board by Mr Carrozzi and Mr Nikou following the first round, with Mr Nogarotto and Mr Conroy forced to face a further ballot alongside the remaining candidates, Morry Bailes, Daniel Moulis, Linda Norquay and Mark Shield.
The four elected directors will join Kelly Bayer Rosmarin and Crispin Murray on the FFA board.
Mr Lowy offered his best wishes to the new board members, saying it was his "fervent hope" the game developed domestically in the coming years.
"I wish the incoming custodians of our great game the very best in realising the enormous potential of football in Australia," he said.
Ros Moriarty was confirmed as the FFA's women's football council independent chair.
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