World Bowls is governed by an experienced Board of Directors and supported by a dedicated executive team and specialist advisory groups. Together, they oversee the global development, governance, and strategic direction of the sport.
Board of Directors
Brett O'Riley, President
Brett has held CEO roles for the past 17 years and is now an Advisor or Board member to private and public organisations in the areas of technology, infrastructure and and the environment. Brett represents New Zealand on the APEC Business Advisory Council. Brett is committed to growing the game of bowls globally, taking advantage of new commercial, technology, and profile opportunities to make the game and its organisations more successful and sustainable.
Darryl Clout AM, Director
Darryl has had a long involvement at both professional and volunteer levels with sport and sporting administration. He is the former Head of NSW Sport and Recreation and a former NSW Institute of Sport Director. He formerly held roles as a Board member and President of Softball Australia as well as Vice President of the International Softball Federation. He was appointed to the Bowls Australia Board in 2012 and was elected President in 2017. Darryl has previously been a Board Member of Commonwealth Games Australia and was Chair of the Heritage and Awards Committee. Darryl was World Bowls President from 2021 – 2024.
Claudius Lam, Director
Since he started bowling in 1996, Claudius Lam has been actively involved in the development of bowls in Hong Kong. Over the years he established the umpire and coach training and accreditation system, liaising with the government on the provision of new greens and actively promoting the sports through the media.
He has been actively helping with the development of the sport in China and Macao, involving the building of greens and training of umpires and coaches. He also held positions on the umpiring and coaching committees of Macao Lawn Bowls Association and China Multi Bowls Association during their start up period.
On a regional level, Claudius assumed the duty to assist the World Bowls Regional Director in Asia and Oceana in 2016 to help the Asian countries to develop the sport. He is now a Vice President with Bowls Asia.
Hazel Wilson, Director
Hazel managed the Welsh Women’s Bowling Team from 2008 until 2022. Commonwealth Games Team Leader for Welsh Lawn Bowls in Glasgow, 2014 and Gold Coast 2018. Former international player winning a British Isles Singles title and many national titles. Welsh Women’s Bowling Association Secretary 2018-2021.
She has worked in Further Education for 22 years in various areas including Project Management, Change Management, Quality and Student Support Manager. She has also taught IT and Business. Project Manager for Implementation of the Additional Learning Needs Education and Training Act, ensuring students can access the support they need.
She has experience of many administration roles within community and welsh organisations, including management of various websites and development of social media sites. She is a partner in The Long Mountain Flower Company, a flower farm and florist and is currently an appointed Director of Bowls Europe.
Sue Beatt, Director
Michael Catlow, Appointed Director
Michael is an Asian Pacific based Management Consultant, who has previously held executive leadership roles in countries including Germany, China, Africa, Philippines, UK, and Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). Michael has provided direct insight into social, political, business, and cultural conventions and expectations needed for a global workforce including leadership development with organisations in the industrial, resources, consumer, technology, retail, sports & leisure and not for profit sectors.
Professional career began with Michael operating in locations including India, China, Brazil, and Australia. In the mid 90’s Michael accepted a pivotal international commercial role with the Swiss Industrial group, Benninger AG, living in Germany for 4 years and working predominately across the APAC region.</p>
<p>Returning to Australia in the late 90’s, Michael joined the executive search industry, spearheading thrusts into new markets culminating in providing executive search to the sport, events, and recreation sectors. In 2007, Boyden World Corporation (BWC), Michael was appointed Managing Director of BWC, a tier one global executive search firm, leading significant growth activities across the APAC region, chairing both the organisations global compliance committee and their mining and resources industries practice group.</p>
<p>In recent years, Michael has represented various levels of government on trade missions to India, UK, Brazil, UAE, and China & currently serves as a non-Executive Director on local education, sports industry, and community Boards. Michael is a Director of the Deakin University School of Sports Management and the ONEMDA organisation. In more recent times, Michael has assisted World Bowls with strategic initiatives including meetings with the IOC & WADA in Lausanne and Lawn Bowls in Switzerland and the UK.
Fluent in both English & German and now semi-retired, Michael enjoys focusing on his hobby and passion for wine, producing and marketing premium dry climate Australian wines from the Heathcote region.
Staff
Neil Dalrymple, Chief Executive Officer
Neil held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Bowls Australia (BA) from May 2007 to December 2022. During his tenure at BA, Neil spearheaded numerous innovative strategic and operational changes in the organisation, which have greatly impacted on the sport of Bowls in Australia. Neil’s focus has been, and continues to be, ensuring the ongoing sustainability and vitality of the sport of Bowls, both in Australia and internationally.
While at the helm of BA, Neil oversaw the ongoing professionalization of the organisation. He has been deeply engaged in strengthening the relationships between BA and each of the Australian State and Territory Associations, as well as relationships with other key partners, such as the Australian Sports Commission and World Bowls. Under Neil’s leadership, BA expertly managed the continued improvement of Australia’s elite bowler squads, culminating in Australia’s Jackeroos’ most successful performance to date at the 2012 World Championships and the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and the best performance abroad at the 2016 World Bowls Championships and 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Among Neil’s many innovations as CEO, a stand out is undoubtedly the creation of the very successful Australian Premier League – a biannual competition for professional teams, now known as the Bowls Premier League (BPL), which has attracted a wealth of new spectators and fans to a short form and highly exciting version of Bowls.
With an eye to broadening the reach and appeal of Bowls for participants and spectators alike, Neil and BA secured weekly coverage of the sport via The Bowls Show screening on free-to-air and pay-tv platforms.
Neil and the BA Team also masterminded the relocation of BA’s flagship annual competition, the Australian Open, to the Gold Coast in partnership with Tourism Events Queensland and the Major Events Gold Coast.
Recognising the central role Bowls clubs and players play in the viability of the sport, Neil has also worked actively to ensure club sustainability, creating a nationwide network of Regional Bowls Managers. Neil has previously held roles with NT Cricket (CEO) and Softball Australia (CEO), as well as two separate periods working for Cricket Australia, and has an excellent understanding of and strong commitment to the myriad health and wellbeing benefits engagement with sport has for all Australians, regardless of gender, background or ability.
Neil has an inclusive and pragmatic approach to sports administration; he is strongly committed to organisational transparency and good corporate governance and has been highly successful in his endeavours within Australian sport for nearly three decades.
Irene Attard, Events & Operations Manager
Bronwyn White, Executive Assistant
Chris Wallace, World Bowls Series Manager
Committees
Selina Goddard – New Zealand (Chair)
Brett O’Riley – WB
Ozkan Akar – Turkiye
Lephai Marea Modutlwa – Botswana
Kelsey Cottrell – Australia
James Reynolds – Australia Para
Anwen Butten MBE – Wales
Kelly McKerihen – Canada
Iain McLean – Scotland
Charlie Herbert – USA
Amy Pharaoh – England
Brett O’Riley – BA (Chair)
Darryl Clout AM – BA (Deputy Chair)
Lynsey Clarke – Australia
Narelle Henderson – Independent
Matthew Kennedy – Australia
Mark Cameron – New Zealand
Veronica Sum – USA
Kareena Cuthbert – Scotland
Graeme Rees – New Zealand (Chair)
Ellen Falkner – Australia
Derek Dillon – Canada
Mal Evans – England
Rita Shek – Hong Kong China
Simon Botha – South Africa
Barrie Lester – Australia
Sue Beatt – WB
Legal Counsel: Ian Fullagar
Digital Marketing Consultant: Selina Goddard
Media Officer: Ceris Hewlings
Accredited Bowls Inspector: Greg Sherman
Technical Delegate: Mark Cowan
Chief Statistician: Richard Corry
Neil Dalrymple – WB
Don Caswell – Canada (Chair)
Martin Gale – IIBC
Andrew Howie – Australia
Irene Attard – WB
Mark Cowan – WB
Claudius Lam – WB
David Mandel (Chair)
Graham Hay – Australia
Brett O’Riley – WB
Hazel Wislon – WB
Independent – TBC
Sue Beatt – WB (Chair)
Claudius Lam – WB
Graham Hay – Australia
Kerry Clark – New Zealand (Chair)
Gary Smith – Scotland
Karen Murphy – Australia
Betty Morgan – Wales
Margaret Letham – Scotland
David Rhys-Jones – England
Brett O’Riley – WB
Darryl Clout AM – WB
Allan Thornhill – England (Chair)
Mark Cowan – Australia
Michael Johnson – New Zealand
Jeanette Williams – South Africa
Sue Beatt – WB
Hazel Wilson – WB (Chair)
Nicole Dyer – England
Ceris Hewlings – WB
Selina Goddard – WB
Oliver Thompson – Falkland Islands
Ash Cousins – Scotland
The elected members are:
Leah Lazzaro – Bowls Australia (Oceania)
Kim Joung Il – Korean Bowls for the Disabled (Asia)
Tom Hamilton – Bowls Scotland (Europe)
Owen James – Bowls South Africa (Africa)
These members will be joined by the following representatives to form the full World Bowls Para Committee:
Head Physically Disabled Classifier – June McIntyre
Head Visually Impaired Classifier – Hazel Sacharowitz
IBBA (Vision Impaired) nominated representative – President Graham Ward
IDBF (Deaf) nominated representative – Secretary Michael Barca
Para Athlete Representative (to be nominated)
World Bowls President or nominee
World Bowls CEO
Brett O’Riley – WB (Chair)
Claudius Lam – WB
Hazel Wilson – WB
Chris Evans – Australia
Charles Obeng Amofah – Ghana
Asia – Sunaina Kumairi
Asia – Datuk Awalan Abdul Aziz
Africa – David Hamer – South Africa
Americas – Ian Howard – Canada
Europe – Garry Collins – Bowls Europe
Oceania – Phil Jones – Norfolk Island
East Europe & Middle Asia – Ozkan Akar
Dan McManus – Scotland (Chair)
Hazel Wilson – WB
Aidan Davis – Australia
Brett O’Riley – WB
Alistair Hollis – England
Richard Corry – WB Statistician
Irene Attard – WB
Ceris Hewlings – WB
Selina Goddard – WB & Athletes Commission
Neil Dalrymple – WB
Life Members
Eleanor Allan (Scotland)
John Armstrong (Scotland)
Kerry Clark CNZM, OBE (New Zealand)
Betty Collins OAM (Australia)
David Johnson (England)
John McArdle (South Africa)
John Bell (England)
David Rhys Jones (England)
Sheila Corcoran (Australia)
