After a competitive process, British Taekwondo, the National Governing Body for Taekwondo across Great Britain, asked us to lead the search for their next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) — a pivotal appointment following the announced retirement of their long-serving CEO. With an ambitious 2021–2031 Growth Strategy, increased public investment, and the opportunity to host the 2027 World Taekwondo Grand Prix, the organisation required an exceptional leader to unite its community, strengthen its culture, and drive strategic progress. Our partnership focused on identifying a visionary, people-centred leader capable of blending strategic insight with empathy and energy to inspire members, volunteers and staff nationwide.
Context.
British Taekwondo had entered a crucial phase of development. The organisation had grown its membership to around 20,000 across nearly 1,000 clubs and was benefiting from renewed recognition and funding from Sport England and UK Sport. However, it also faced complex challenges: siloed working practices, varying levels of club engagement, and a need to demonstrate tangible value to members. With a small core staff team and a large volunteer base, the new CEO would need to strengthen culture, align teams, and deliver on an ambitious strategy for growth, participation, and inclusion. British Taekwondo required a leader who could combine business acumen and stakeholder management with a genuine passion for community sport and grassroots engagement.
Brief.
Our brief was to deliver a national executive search to appoint a Chief Executive Officer whocould lead British Taekwondo into its next chapter. The Board sought a strategic and inclusive leader — someone skilled in governance, organisational culture and stakeholder engagement, with proven experience in driving membership growth. It was essential to attract candidatesboth from within and beyond the sports sector, ensuring a diverse and high-calibre field. The successful appointee would inspire confidence among staff, volunteers, and members; strengthen relationships with funding partners; and represent the sport nationally and internationally. We partnered closely with the Chair and selection panel to refine the role profile, develop inclusive messaging and engage candidates who could bring vision, authenticity, and transformational leadership to one of Britain’s most dynamic and values-driven governing bodies.
Process.
Peridot Partners undertook a national search process that combined targeted sector engagement with proactive cross-industry outreach, appealing to experienced leaders across sport, membership organisations, and other sectors. Over the six-week search period, we also advertised on LinkedIn, The Guardian, and the UK Sport jobs board to reach a range of audiences. We received over 50 applications for the role and selected eight candidates from a broadspectrum of backgrounds for an interview. They included some existing CEOs and candidatesdeemed ready to take on their first CEO role. From the preliminary interviews, we then decidedto shortlist four candidates to take through to the final stage. Working in collaboration with the Board, we developed a final interview process that tested strategic insight, governance understanding, and leadership style, amongst other areas. Wetested softer skills and engagement with some members of the Taekwondo staff and askedcandidates to present their three strategic priorities for British Taekwondo.
Outcome.
The process culminated in the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer who brings experience of hugely successful membership growth and transformation from another sport, alongside a track record of community engagement and team leadership. The appointee impressed the Board with the extent of their research, ambition, and drive for the organisation. They have already begun working alongside the outgoing CEO to ensure a smooth and strategic handover, ready to lead British Taekwondo into a new era of growth, inclusion, and operational excellence.
“Rachel and the team at Peridot were supportive at all stages of the process, takingthe time to answer queries and provide appropriate guidance. The whole process waswell structured and informed, which helped to reduce stress and enable me to focus on theapplication and interview process.”
Dave Marshall, appointed Chief Executive Officer at British Taekwondo.
Rachel Davies is a Senior Consultant, specialising in recruiting for the health and social care sectors, particularly with small charities and those in the disability sector. Combining her wealth of experience with her passion for recruiting good people for good causes, Rachel can help you find the best talent for your organisation. You can connect with Rachel on LinkedIn or send her an email.
