The International Skating Union (ISU) today announced the appointment of Colin Smith as its new Director General. Following an extensive and global search process, the ISU Council decided he is the right person to take the ISU as an organization and the ISU sports to the next level. Colin will succeed Fredi Schmid, who has been the ISU Director General since 1996 and retires effective at the end of 2023. Colin will join the ISU in October 2023 to ensure a smooth transition, and effective January 1, 2024, he will assume all responsibilities of the ISU Director General.
Colin is a highly experienced senior leader with an excellent track record in the global sports industry. He has an extensive commercial background and a strong understanding of all functional areas and stakeholder groups of an International Federation. As Chief Tournaments & Events Officer and COO World Cup at FIFA from 2015-2023, he was responsible for planning and delivering all FIFA’s tournaments and events. He created and implemented FIFA’s new operational model for the main tournaments, ensuring increased value to all key stakeholders. Prior to joining FIFA, Colin held leading positions related to business development at other sports organizations, such as the Pro League Committee in the UAE, the European PGA Tour in professional golf and UEFA. Colin has British/Irish nationality and has worked in different parts of the world and currently lives in Switzerland.
“I am thrilled that Colin will join the ISU”, ISU President Jae Youl Kim said. “He is a trustworthy leader who thinks outside the box and combines outstanding strategic capabilities with operational effectiveness. His wealth of experience will be a strong asset in achieving the ISU Vision 2030 and delivering long-term growth and value for the entire skating community. With Colin on board, I look forward to unlocking the full potential of the ISU sports by inspiring more people to skate and engaging fans worldwide.”
“I am delighted to be joining the ISU as its next Director General”, Colin Smith said. “I have been inspired by the vision of the ISU President and Council and I look forward to collaborating closely with the ISU team, national federations, skaters, business partners and the IOC in my new role. This is an exciting time for sport and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to use my experience to take skating, a longstanding and prestigious sport, to the next level on the world stage.”
With the appointment of Colin, the ISU has found a successor to Fredi Schmid, who has served 27 years as ISU Director General.
“I would like to express my utmost gratitude to Fredi for his loyalty, exemplary service, and continuous commitment to a standard of excellence”, ISU President Jae Youl Kim said. “The ISU sports and organization evolved enormously worldwide under Fredi’s impeccable leadership, and we will build further on this strong foundation.”