British yacht racing team and Challenger of Record Athena Racing has announced the appointment of Ian Walker as CEO for the 38th America’s Cup.
A renowned sailor and high-performance executive, Walker brings extensive racing expertise to the role, having skippered Britain’s Wight Lightning in the 31st America’s Cup in 2003, as well as leading three Ocean Race campaigns for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, which culminated in victory in the 2014–15 edition. He is also a two-time Olympic medallist.
In more recent years, Walker served as performance director for the British Sailing Team, securing five medals (three of which were gold) at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Since 2022, Walker has headed up North Sails' sailmaking team in the UK.
“It’s an exciting moment to return to the America’s Cup with a British challenge that has the continuity of the last three campaigns, alongside the recent creation of the America’s Cup Partnership (ACP)," Walker said. "That was a big part of my decision to take this on, because I believe in what the ACP is trying to achieve - creating a sustainable, viable commercial business model for the competition. I’ve also worked with several members of the team previously, which gives me real confidence in what we’re building together."
He continued: “The Cup has evolved enormously since I was last involved in terms of the boats, the technology, and even the balance between sailors and designers. But at its core, it remains unchanged; it’s about managing your resources, getting the best out of your people, and making every second count, in a race against time, and the clock is ticking. The America’s Cup transcends the sport of sailing and has so much untapped potential. I am excited about what lies ahead, just imagine how cool it would be for the team to win it for Britain.”
The new appointment will also see Walker reunite with Athena Racing's team principal, Sir Ben Ainslie, with the pair being former teammates for Team GB at the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
“Ian is an exceptional leader with a proven track record of success with high-performance campaigns across the very top of our sport, there are very few people as qualified, both on and off the water," Ainslie said.
“He also understands the complexity of running teams that need to be at the forefront of innovation and performance while meeting both budget and timeline demands. For AC38, that timeline is tight, and we needed a CEO who could hit the ground running and Ian can do that, he understands how to drive teams forward and the importance of continuity in achieving the ultimate goal."
The appointment comes a month after the announcement that the terms were officially agreed for the formation of the America's Cup Partnership (ACP), in what was a historic moment for the sport of sailing. The Partnership came into effect from 1st November.
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