Minerva Network Appoints Tain Drinkwater as Interim Executive Director to Lead Next Phase of Growth

Leading Australian not-for-profit organisation Minerva Network has announced the appointment of Tain Drinkwater as interim executive director.

The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for women’s sport in Australia, bringing elite sports leadership and proven commercial expertise to drive the organisation’s next growth phase.

In her new role, Drinkwater will report directly to the chair and collaborate closely with the Council, committees, and the broader Minerva team to deliver a refreshed five-year strategic plan, strengthen national partnerships and fundraising bases, and build out comprehensive operating platforms.

Highliting the rationale behind the leadership transition, Minerva Network chair, Christine McLoughlin AM, said:  “Tain brings exactly the blend of commercial acumen, brand leadership and lived commitment to women’s sport that this next chapter for Minerva demands.”

 “Her record of delivering rapid, measurable transformation, while never losing sight of the people and purpose behind the numbers, makes her an outstanding fit as we scale our impact for professional sportswomen across the country,” McLoughlin said.

Reflecting on her new appointment and commercial priorities, Drinkwater emphasised the importance of sustainable career development.

“Minerva’s mission, opening doors for professional sportswomen through the power of business and sport,  is one I have lived throughout my career.”

 “A key focus for me will be strengthening athlete transition pathways so that professional sportswomen are supported not only during their playing careers, but as they move into leadership, business and life beyond sport.

“I am honoured to work alongside Minerva’s remarkable community of mentors, athletes, staff and volunteers to set the platform for its next phase of growth and impact,”  Drinkwater said.

Drinkwater transitions to Minerva following a successful tenure as CEO of Newcastle Jets FC, where she delivered the club’s first-ever Australia Cup and Premiers Plate titles alongside substantial revenue growth. Her extensive career features senior leadership roles across the NRL, Netball NSW, the NSW Swifts, GIANTS Netball, and the Brisbane Broncos, where she secured three consecutive NRLW Premierships and helped establish the elite women’s competition.

Minerva Network currently relies on pro-bono support and corporate partnerships to power its mission, with over 480 senior executives volunteering mentoring, professional development, and networking to more than 1,100 professional women athletes across more than 86 sports nationwide.

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