Meet the World Bowls board, staff and committee

“We have so much to achieve in the directions that bowls is taking. New opportunities for competitive players of all kinds, expanding our game into new countries, and strengthening the sport in our existing nations, all through a digital lens and by communicating effectively at every step.”

That’s the keynote message from World Bowls president Brett O’Riley.

O’Riley, from New Zealand, took over from retiring President Darryl Clout, unanimously elected through a Board process. Brett says he’s enjoying his new role and working together with his board colleagues, the member nations and the executive team to continue to drive our sport in positive new directions, making our game relevant and successful for the times we live in.

Members of World Bowls elected five directors under its newly adopted constitution; Sue Beatt (Scotland), Hazel Wilson (Wales), Claudius Lam (Hong Kong China), Clout (Tokelau), and O’Riley. Michael Catlow (Australia) remains as an appointed Director on the Board, with three more independent Directors to be appointed in this year.

The five directors were appointed by lot for terms ranging from one to three years – Clout for one year, O’Riley and Beatt for two years, Lam and Wilson for three years.

The key priorities in our recently revised strategy are:

Positioning Bowls as the leading sport for facilitating positive active aging.
Integrating our activities with all bowls codes to provide multiple paths into our sport.
Supporting the growth of existing member nations and signing up new nations across our five regions.
Introducing a new expanded governance structure for World Bowls including sub-committees and Regional Ambassadors and expanding people and digital resources to support the structure and the member nations.
Becoming a recognised members of the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee, and getting our sport featured at Summer, Winter and Paralympics.
Developing the World Bowls Series in more of our member nations to promote our game and build a global audience.
Engaging with existing and new commercial partners to provide diversified revenue streams for World Bowls and its members.
Launch a World Bowls Hall of Fame.

LET’S MEET THE WORLD BOWLS TEAM

DIRECTORS

President: Brett O’Riley

Brett has had a lifetime family involvement with bowls. Over more than 50 years this has included roles as a high-level competitor, coach, journalist, broadcaster, administrator, supporter, sponsor and selector. Brett was World President of the PBA and on the board of World Bowls Tour in the 2000s, a board member of Bowls New Zealand, and played in two national finals in the early 1990s. His current club Takapuna, where he has been involved in various roles, was NZ Club of the Year in 2021 and the Chair is his wife Robyne Walker.

In parallel Brett spent 20 years in senior roles globally in the technology sector, before returning to New Zealand in 2009. Since then, he has held CEO and governance roles in the public and private sectors. Brett is currently a Member of the APEC Business Advisory Council, an advisor to multi-national and early-stage businesses, and on several boards.

Brett is committed to sustainably developing the game at all levels globally, taking advantage of new commercial, technology, and profile opportunities to make the game and its organisations and participants more successful.

Darryl Clout: 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: 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: 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: Sue is now retired but has over 30 years’ experience in HR and Learning and Development, having owned and run two training and consultancy businesses, one of which operated globally. She has been a club bowler for over 20 years.

In 2014 she joined the Board of Bowls Scotland and in 2016 she was appointed as the first ever female Chair, a position she held until November 2022. In this position, she has helped the Board become fully skills based.

Sue is Chair of the Scottish Sports Association, a membership organisation which represents and champions Scottish Governing Bodies of Sports.

Michael Catlow: 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.

Returning to Australia in the late 90s, 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.

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 Bowls in Switzerland and the UK.

STAFF

Neil Dalrymple, Chief Executive Officer: Neil has held the position of Chief Executive Officer of World Bowls since December 2022 and prior to that, was CEO of Bowls Australia (BA) for over 15 years.

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.

Whilst 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. Among Neil’s many innovations as CEO, a standout is undoubtedly the creation of the very successful Bowls Premier League – a biannual competition for professional teams, which has attracted a wealth of new spectators and fans to a short form and highly exciting version of Bowls. 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.

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, 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.

Other staff and contractors for World Bowls are:

Bronwyn White – Executive Assistant (EA) & Finance Manager