SUPERCARS Hall of Famer Tony Cochrane is no longer involved in the SX Global company that runs the FIM Supercross World Championship.
The former Supercars Chairman served as President and then Vice Chairman of the Gold Coast-based start-up until late last year.
He does, however, retain a minor shareholding in the business.
“I’m clearing the decks and freeing myself up,” he told V8 Sleuth this week.
“Having worked so hard last year to help Adam (Bailey) and Ryan (Sanderson, SX Global directors) get it up, I wish them every success moving forward.”
SX Global CEO Adam Bailey said via a statement provided to V8 Sleuth today:
“We are privileged to have had TC as an integral part of the SX Global journey during his time as our President throughout 2022.
“He played a vital role in our negotiations to secure Mubadala as a strategic investment partner, in securing the FIM World Championship rights and in particular, a three-year partnership with Visit Victoria to make Melbourne the exclusive destination for WSX in Australia and New Zealand.
“We also launched two incredibly successful events in the UK and in Melbourne, which set us up for six global events in 2023 and many more milestones in the future.”
“On a personal level, TC helped prepare me for the challenges of being CEO and provided such great mentorship, given his immense history and success.
“The reality is, leading an international motorsport business is a taxing role, particularly one that is just establishing itself. TC has well and truly done his time and rightfully, is in a stage of his career where he doesn’t want to be so immersed on the front line.
“We’re grateful for the time he invested to get us where we are today, and I look forward to his mentorship in the future. His office is just across the road, so he can’t hide if we need him!”
This weekend’s opening round of the AFL also marks Cochrane’s last as Chairman of the Gold Coast Suns.
He’ll step down from the role after the Suns play the Sydney Swans on the Gold Coast on Saturday night.
SX Global was selected in late 2021 as the long-term promoter of the new FIM Supercross World Championship.
It ran a range of pilot events last year, including in Australia, ahead of its first full season this year, which begins at the start of July in Birmingham in England.
Australia will host the final of six rounds for the season on November 24-25 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.
