De Villiers named ATP's chairman of the board

WIMBLEDON, England -- Former Walt Disney Co. executive Etienne de Villiers will take over as the ATP's chairman of the board Sept. 1.

De Villiers will work alongside a chief executive officer, a position he expects to fill in six to nine months. The two jobs are being filled to replace CEO Mark Miles, who is leaving after 15 years.

Miles will stay on the rest of this year to ease the transition. Flip Galloway, the ATP's chief financial officer since 1989, will work with De Villiers until a new CEO is hired.

De Villiers, a 55-year-old South African, called himself a "sports junkie" and said he was thrilled to be working in tennis. But he described his new job as daunting.

"I know enough right now to be absolutely lethal," De Villiers said with a laugh Sunday. "Let me loose right now and I'll kill the sport."

De Villiers does have experience in the sports world, however.

He served as a Formula One consultant for the Kirch Group, and was a board member of SLEC, the company that controlled the commercial rights to F1. He was also on the board at English rugby club Saracens.

De Villiers also has spent many years in the corporate world, including a stint as a senior executive for Disney. He was also the president of Walt Disney Television International, responsible for the company's production and broadcasting activities outside the United States.

Now, he's hoping to bring some of the success he had with the American entertainment company to tennis.

"It is our stated goal to increase the consumption of tennis," De Villiers said.

He'll oversee the ATP board. One of De Villiers' first moves when he takes over during the U.S. Open will be to find a CEO to oversee day-to-day operations.

Miles, the outgoing chairman, said it was the board's decision to separate the jobs.

"Separating the responsibilities ... is really best corporate practice," said Miles, who praised the hiring of De Villiers. "The ATP ... will benefit from the addition of an executive with such broad business acumen and significant network."