Martin Snedden Resigns as Duco CEO

Martin Snedden fronts the media at the Joseph Parker vs Solomon Haumono Weigh-in in Christchurch.

Duco Events announced this morning the resignation of Martin Snedden as its CEO after two years with the company.
 
The 58-year-old broke the news to staff on Tuesday, following Joseph Parker’s historic WBO Heavyweight Championship win over the weekend.
 
Mr Snedden’s final day with the company will be next Friday, December 23.
 
“Joseph’s win over Andy Ruiz last Saturday night nicely bookends my two years at Duco Events,” said Mr Snedden.
 
“When I started working with David Higgins and Dean Lonergan in 2014, the objectives were to move Joseph from a boxing ranking outside the top 15 to a world championship title."
 
“We wanted to break into boxing promotion in Australia, while also delivering an NRL Nines event which showcased the sport and Auckland City."
 
“I leave Duco next week knowing those objectives have been fully or substantially achieved.”
 
Mr Snedden arrived at Duco Events in 2014 with arguably the best sports administration CV in the country but says he leaves having learned an enormous amount.
 
“Seeing first hand, the creativity, drive, willingness to break new ground, and determination to succeed amongst a small group of staff is something to behold.”
 
They have given me some amazing experiences and we part on great terms,” said Mr Snedden.
 
Director Dean Lonergan says Mr Snedden leaves Duco Events in the strongest position it has ever been heading into 2017.
 
“Martin has all our best wishes as he seeks new challenges.  However, it will be ‘business as normal’ for Duco in 2017,” said Mr Lonergan.
 
Duco Director and Founder, David Higgins will continue his role overseeing the Brisbane Global Rugby 10s, and a new role in the ongoing development of Joseph Parker.
 
Dean Lonergan will now oversee the Downer NRL Auckland Nines and focus his energies on growing boxing in Australia.
 
Duco Events has already received a massive Christmas bonus this week.
 
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum has told ESPN he wants to match Duco’s welterweight Jeff Horn against former champions Timothy Bradley or Jesse Vargas in Las Vegas early next year.
 
Mr Arum says if Horn is successful, the Australian will be on the shortlist to face global superstar Manny Pacquiao in the second half of 2017. 

​ENDS
​
Martin Snedden fact file
 
·         Martin is currently a director of both New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and also of Auckland World Master Games 2017, as well as chairing Heart of the City, Auckland CBD’s business association.
 
·         Throughout 2014, as a director of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Martin was closely involved in the ICC’s reorganisation of the governance of international cricket and the re-shaping of cricket’s Future Tours programme. 
 
·         Between 2007 and 2011, Martin was Chief Executive of Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd, the company responsible for staging the extremely successful Rugby World Cup 2011.
·         Between 2001 and 2007, as CEO Martin headed NZC during a tumultuous period punctuated by issues relating to terrorism, politics and player contract negotiations, a period where the BLACKCAPS (New Zealand cricket team) consistently ranked high in both tests and one-day internationals.  He led the successful joint NZC / Cricket Australia bid for the rights to host Cricket World Cup 2015.
 
·         Between 2014 and 2016, Martin has been chief executive of Duco Events, New Zealand’s foremost event company and promoters of WBO Heavyweight World Boxing Champion, Joseph Parker.
 
·         His book, a personal account of this RWC experience, “A Stadium of Four Million,” was published in 2012.