Peter Murphy elected Sport NSW Chair as Chris Hall steps down

Peter Murphy elected Sport NSW Chair as Chris Hall steps down

Rugby NSW CEO Peter Murphy has been elected Chair of Sport NSW, succeeding Chris Hall, who today stepped down from the role after serving as Chair for four of his nine years on the board.

The Board elected its new executive at its first meeting since the AGM earlier this week.

Maria Nordstrom, who has served on the board since 2022 was elected Deputy Chair, Michele Windsor was re-elected Chair of Finance, and Sport NSW CEO Ellie Laing-Southwood was elected Secretary.

The board thanked Mr Hall for his strong leadership and governance during his four years as Chair. While Mr Hall stepped down as Chair, he will remain on the board until the conclusion of his current term in May 2027.

Mr Murphy paid tribute to his predecessor’s commitment to NSW sport.

“On behalf of the Board and our members, I want to thank Chris for his years of outstanding service as Chair,” Mr Murphy said.

“Chris has been a strong, generous and tireless advocate for sport in this state. He has always put our members first, and the strength of Sport NSW today owes a great deal to his leadership.

“He hands over an organisation in great shape, with a renewed Board, a new CEO and a clear voice for the sector as we head towards a state election and a home Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.

“As the CEO of a State Sporting Organisation, I know first-hand the pressures and opportunities our members face every day. I’m honoured to have the confidence of my fellow directors, and I look forward to working with Maria, Michele, Ellie and the whole Board to make sure the voice of sport is heard,” he said.

Mr Hall said it had been a privilege to chair Sport NSW.

“It has been an honour to lead the Board of Sport NSW and I’m delighted to hand over to Peter. I have every confidence in him, the Board and Ellie to take Sport NSW forward,” Mr Hall said.

The Sport NSW Board executive:

Peter Murphy (Chair): Peter Murphy is CEO of NSW Rugby Union and a former Australian Olympic rower who represented Australia at two Olympic Games. He has held senior leadership roles across rugby administration, high performance and community sport, and brings extensive experience in sport development and stakeholder engagement.

Maria Nordstrom (Deputy Chair): Maria Nordstrom is an experienced sports administrator and business executive, having served as CEO of Basketball NSW from 2017 to 2025. She brings extensive experience in organisational leadership, commercial strategy and government advocacy, including playing a key role in securing and delivering the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Sydney.

Michele Windsor (Chair of Finance): Michele Windsor brings decades of senior leadership experience in financial services, including roles with Macquarie and Goldman Sachs in Australia and Asia. Michele has life long experience as a sports person with a disability and currently serves as Vice President and Treasurer of the International Para Standing Tennis Association.

Ellie Laing-Southwood (Secretary): Ellie Laing-Southwood is CEO of Sport NSW, bringing extensive experience across sport, government, communications and media. Her previous senior roles include the Australian Olympic Committee and Property Council of Australia, alongside senior government positions in NSW. She previously served on the Sport NSW Board from 2021, including as Deputy Chair.

ENDS

About Sport NSW

Sport NSW is the peak body for sport in New South Wales and The Voice of Sport for its member organisations. It advocates for the sector, supports State Sporting Organisations and promotes the value of sport to the people of NSW.

Further information: Ellie Laing-Southwood: 0416 007 830