The board of Nicklaus Companies has announced the appointment of Phil Cotton as its new Chief Executive Officer. An experienced sports industry business leader, he will succeed John Reese, who is moving to the role of Vice Chairman after more than ten years as CEO.
A highly experienced senior executive in the sports and entertainment industry, Cotton has a successful track record spanning over 20 years in the UK, Europe and North America. Working for some of the world’s top athletes, brands and agencies, career highlights include spearheading the technology giant SAP’s golf sponsorship portfolio for their agency, as well as leading the business interests of four-time major winner Ernie Els for over a decade.
Reporting to Executive Chairman Howard Milstein, Cotton will oversee the existing businesses and teams of Nicklaus Brands and Nicklaus Design. as well as all corporate relationships and new business opportunities. he will work closely with business heads Andy O’Brien, President of Nicklaus Brands, and Paul Stringer, President of Nicklaus Design.
Milstein said: “The team has had first-hand experience working with Phil over a number of years and we are excited to be bringing him in-house to lead the business into a new era, building on the excellent foundations that John has laid.Phil’s breadth and depth of knowledge within the global golf industry is second to none and this, coupled with his demonstrable commitment to innovation and excellence, makes him the perfect fit to drive forward the Nicklaus business.”
Cotton commented: “It is a huge honour to be leading the team at Nicklaus Companies. Jack has matched his on-course achievements with both his business and philanthropic endeavors and I am excited to have the opportunity to harness the great talent that we have within the business to continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, and to ensure that the Nicklaus name remains synonymous with quality, excellence and innovation.
“I am also looking forward to working closely with the 8AM Golf group – a network of industry leading companies that provides us with a truly unique platform to help clients directly access a huge, highly-engaged global golf audience.”