Netball New Zealand has officially appointed Jennah Wootten as its new chief executive, bringing in one of the country’s most experienced sports administrators during a difficult period for the organisation and the Silver Ferns.
Wootten will begin the role on August 12, replacing former chief executive Jennie Wyllie, who resigned in December after a turbulent year dominated by governance concerns, commercial pressure and the highly publicised Dame Noeline Taurua coaching saga.
The appointment comes during a major leadership reshuffle across New Zealand sport. In recent weeks, New Zealand Rugby, New Zealand Cricket and New Zealand Rugby League have also confirmed new chief executives.
Experienced sports administrator steps into major rebuild
Wootten joins Netball New Zealand from Aktive, the Auckland sport and recreation charitable trust where she has served as chief executive since 2021. According to Aktive’s official leadership profile, her background includes senior leadership positions connected to some of New Zealand’s biggest sporting events and organisations.
She previously served as chief executive of the World Masters Games 2017, an international event involving around 28,000 participants across 28 sports. Her experience also includes roles at Sport New Zealand, governance work connected to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021, and involvement in Auckland’s Rugby World Cup 2011 delivery programme.
Wootten currently serves as deputy chair of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and is also an independent director of Perpetual Guardian Holdings and Perpetual Trust. In 2024, she received the Sport NZ CK Doig Leadership Award for outstanding leadership within New Zealand’s sport and recreation sector.
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Silver Ferns controversy created pressure on Netball New Zealand
The new chief executive arrives after one of the most difficult periods in Netball New Zealand’s recent history. Much of the criticism centred around the treatment of Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua, who was stood down for 51 days after concerns were raised regarding the national team’s high-performance environment during a Sydney training camp.
The decision triggered major backlash within the sport. Former national selector Gail Parata resigned in support of Taurua and publicly called for leadership accountability inside Netball New Zealand.
Pressure on the organisation continued into early 2026. A special general meeting was requested within the Waikato-Bay of Plenty zone over concerns surrounding governance and leadership. Former board chair Matt Whineray later resigned alongside board members Pavan Vyas, Stephen Cottrell and Aliesha Staples.
Commercial challenges also remain a major issue. The future structure of the ANZ Premiership continues to be debated, while broadcast revenue has become increasingly difficult. This season, the ANZ Premiership returned to free-to-air broadcaster TVNZ on a significantly reduced agreement after Sky did not bid for the rights.
Generating sponsorship and long-term financial support for women’s sport was already a major challenge under the previous administration, and Wootten will now face pressure to improve both stability and commercial confidence.
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Netball New Zealand board chair Alastair Carruthers described Wootten as an exceptional appointment with proven leadership experience across community and elite sport. Interim chief executive Jane Patterson will remain in the role until mid-August to support the transition and assist preparations linked to the Silver Ferns’ Commonwealth Games campaign.
Wootten now steps into one of the toughest leadership roles in New Zealand sport, with expectations high that she can restore stability, rebuild trust and guide the future direction of netball both on and off the court.
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