Netball Australia Appoints Mark Falvo as Permanent CEO

Netball Australia has officially appointed Mark Falvo as its permanent Chief Executive Officer, locking in experienced leadership to guide the organisation through a commercial growth phase.

Mr Falvo assumes the permanent position after serving effectively as Interim Chief Executive Officer since April 2026, alongside his previous role as Chief Executive Officer of the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 since June 2025.

The appointment comes at a crucial juncture for Australian netball, underpinned by a lucrative five-year broadcast partnership with Nine Entertainment, the upcoming home Netball World Cup in Sydney next year, and the broader strategy of potential Olympic inclusion.

Praising the appointment of Falvo, Netball Australia chair, Liz Ellis AO, said: “The Netball Australia Board undertook an extensive and considered search for our new CEO, and we were delighted by the calibre of the candidates.”

“The interest in and momentum for netball continues to build and we are in a pivotal moment for our game.

“Ultimately, we appointed Mark because of his proven ability to create long-term value for national sporting organisations, his very strong financial and commercial capabilities, and his depth of experience in corporate strategy, major event legacy planning and collective bargaining.

“Mark provides significant experience in supercharging women’s sport, as he helped to do with the Matildas and the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“He has actively demonstrated his care and respect for netball over the past year, and he provides us with extensive industry knowledge, relationships and market credibility,” Ellis said.

Reflecting on his permanent appointment, Mr Falvo emphasised the rare opportunity to secure the game’s long-term financial future and governance standards.

“Netball is already a superpower in Australian sport, as the largest sport for women and girls and one that is rapidly growing for men and boys.”

“The ingredients for continued growth in our professional Super Netball league, backed by our new five-year broadcast deal with Nine Entertainment, the opportunity presented by a home World Cup in Sydney next year, and the prospect of Olympic inclusion creates a once in a generation opportunity to set the game up for the long-term.

“My role will be to capitalise on this rare moment and create long-term value for the entire game, as well as improve the operational, financial and governance performance of Netball Australia.

“Working together across our vast netball ecosystem, we have the opportunity to create a legacy that will ensure the strength and endurance of our game into the next centenary and it’s an honour and privilege to lead this work.

“I take on the role of custodian of the game with significant respect for the people within this sport who continue to contribute and lead at every level of the game,” Falvo said. 

Bringing extensive sports administration expertise from a fifteen-year tenure at Football Australia, where he served as Deputy General Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, contributed to the successful FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 bid, and helped negotiate equal pay agreements, Mr Falvo enters the role equipped with a proven track record in supercharging women’s sport and managing major international events.

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