Sports Advisory Partners Australia Launches “SAPA People”

Sports Advisory Partners Australia (SAPA) has announced a major expansion of its specialist services with the launch of “SAPA People”, a dedicated People Solutions and Advisory practice.

The new arm is designed to address the increasing complexity of the Australian sports landscape by providing elite-level executive recruitment, board assessment, and leadership advisory services.

The practice will be led by Jonathan Harris, who joins as managing director. Harris is a heavyweight in the executive search space, having founded SRI in 2010 and spent over 25 years appointing senior leaders to some of the most high-profile roles in Australian and New Zealand sport.

His appointment signals Sports Advisory Partners Australia’s intent to dominate the “people and culture” pillar of sports consultancy.

Professionalising the Sporting C-Suite

Co-executive director of Sports Advisory Partners Australia, Sam Chadwick, noted that as the industry becomes more professional, the need for independent external experts has never been higher.

“SAPA People strengthens our ability to support the industry in building high-performing executive teams and boards,” Chadwick said.

Managing director, Jonathan Harris, emphasised that the recruitment industry must evolve to remain relevant.

“I have always believed that effective Executive Search work is rooted in thorough pre-search consulting and advice,” Harris remarked.

He added that SAPA People is positioned to help organisations identify the leaders who will “shape the future of the industry.”

Co-executive director, Ian Prendergast, highlighted that Harris’s track record in navigating complex, multi-stakeholder environments aligns perfectly with Sports Advisory Partners Australia’s mission to build sustainable and high-performing leadership structures.

Sports Advisory Partners Australia’s Expansion on Capable Advisories

Since its inception in 2023, SAPA has operated across strategy, commercial growth, legal, and integrity.

The addition of SAPA People completes the ecosystem, allowing the firm to not only advise on what a sporting organisation should do, but also who should lead it.

SAPA People: Key Service Offerings SAPA People provides a comprehensive range of leadership solutions, including executive search for C-suite roles and board assessment to ensure best-practice governance.

The practice also offers senior leadership succession planning, salary benchmarking to maintain market competitiveness, and structural advisory for organisations undergoing new-market entry or significant internal shifts.

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