WHEN Dick Johnson Racing sprung a surprise by appointing long-time AFL administrator/coach David Noble as its new CEO, Rod Nash sat up and took notice.
Noble has been at the helm of DJR since December 2022, bringing a holistic commercial focus and fresh leadership from outside the Supercars bubble.
Tickford Racing, which Nash co-owns, eventually followed suit.
As Tim Edwards moved on after 19 years, Nash briefed recruitment agency Odgers Berndtson that the ideal candidate would be someone from the sporting realm, but not already embedded in motorsport.
Simon Brookhouse was the answer.
With a background in banking and sports management, Brookhouse shot to prominence as the inaugural CEO of the Tasmania JackJumpers – the National Basketball League team which soared to the grand final series in its maiden season in 2021/22.
“In essence, we didn’t need another tech head. We have got a leadership group which we have created within the business now,” Tickford managing director Nash explained to selected media.
“I actually followed with interest the DJR appointment of David, and that sort of caught my eye of ‘that’s what we need’.
“That’s when our executive group, including Tim, made the decision that we needed to move to a more commercial style of person just in amongst it all.
“Though it wasn’t in the brief, we just felt for us that new fresh blood could also contribute to what we all do for the greater business acumen of Supercars.”
Brookhouse, who starts on February 19, will slot in above the aforementioned five-pronged leadership group: team manager Matt Roberts, technical director Brad Wischusen, sales director Richard Marks, finance manager Mary Skopalj and Tickford Engineering business development manager Dilan Talabani.
While Nash will sit on the Supercars Commission and add team principal to his title, Roberts and Wischusen will be charged with the responsibility of running Tickford’s main game and Super2 programs.
All this comes at a time when Tickford has streamlined from four Repco Supercars Championship cars to two in a bid to replicate its 2015 title glory.
“We just kept expanding the business. I think we just lost focus for what it takes to win,” Nash admitted.
Tickford yesterday tested at Winton with a matte black #6 and plain white #55 Mustang.
Monster Energy and Castrol will return as the major sponsors of those respective cars, with liveries to be unveiled prior to Round 1 at Bathurst later this month.
Cam Waters will have continuity with Sam Potter as race engineer and James Moffat as co-driver, while Thomas Randle’s #55 is to be engineered by Chris Stuckey and co-driven by Tyler Everingham in the enduros.
