Illawarra Hawks Welcome New Chief Executive Officer

The Illawarra Hawks are pleased to announce the appointment of Stu Taggart as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Stu is an accomplished sports executive with a CV that includes senior leadership roles in Rugby, Football and Major Events.

Most recently, Stu was the CEO of the UCI Road World Cycling Championships held in Wollongong in September 2022, Australia’s most attended World Championships event this year and the first in Australia’s Green and Gold decade to the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

It was the largest-ever event in Wollongong and showcased the very best of the Illawarra in the same way that the Hawks aim to do.

As part of the role, Stu will also head up Crest Sport & Entertainment LLC, the parent company of the Illawarra Hawks, which is in the advanced stages of adding other sports and entertainment properties to its portfolio.

Hawks majority owner Jared Novelly welcomed the appointment.

“We’re extremely excited to appoint someone of Stu’s calibre to lead the Hawks and the Crest Group moving forward. Stu brings extensive knowledge of national and international sporting properties with him and provides a specific focus for our club here in the Illawarra region."

"We are incredibly proud of our heritage in the Illawarra, and we felt it was important to have a CEO connected to the local community. The Hawks and the Crest Group are determined to see Wollongong and the Illawarra continue to prosper, and sport is central to the region’s identity. Stu’s work with the World Cycling Championships highlighted his ability to showcase elite sport in this region and galvanise our corporate and consumer audiences. That was very attractive for us in the recruitment process.”

Stu Taggart said, “I am excited to have the chance to build on the success of the UCI Road World Championships for our city and to work with a brand that our community truly loves. Basketball is also on a strong growth trajectory here in Australia, so it’s a great time to get involved."

"The vision and passion of Jared and the Crest Group is another huge opportunity for Wollongong. I can’t wait to try to bring all these ingredients together. It’s a real privilege to be entrusted with such a rare opportunity at an important time in our city’s development. A key part of my focus will be building on the work already underway with several organisations and institutions in establishing an elite-performance facility in the Illawarra to ensure our home is in the region for years to come.”