The European Tour presents its new ‘strong man’, coming from IMG

Guy Kinnings is the new Executive Director of the European Tour (DP World Tour) starting this Wednesday. Last Friday the Canadian’s resignation was made official Keith Pelley and the new CEO of the European Tour presented himself to society in a video where he wanted to address members and employees of the tour.

The English executive became the fifth Executive Director of the European Tour Group, after John Jacobs (1972-1975), Ken Schofield (1975-2004), George O’Grady (2005-2015) and Keith Pelley (2015-2024).

Graduated in Law from the University of Oxford, and after practicing as a lawyer in a British law firm, he joined the legal team of multinational sports company International Management Group (IMG) created in its time by Mark McCormack and Arnold Palmer with a handshake, in London in 1989 and moved into their golf division in 1991, representing some of the top professional players (Colin Montgomerie was one of the first).

He later rose to Senior Vice President International and Global Head of Golf at IMG, leading the company’s global golf business, comprising both clients and events, and managing its key relationships with all governing bodies and brand associated with sport.

Kinnings joins the European Tour Group ahead of the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National, in Paris, and as Executive Director of the Ryder Cup is overseeing the growth of the biennial competition’s Worldwide Partner program. He is also leader of the Ryder Cup 2023 in Romethe most successful edition ever held in Europe, where Luke Donald’s European team defeated the United States 16½-11½ at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.

Along with the Board of Directors and Executive Leadership Team, he helped secure the Strategic Alliance with the PGA TOUR in 2020, which helped grow DP World Tour prize money to record levels. He was also instrumental in the groundbreaking deal for DP World to become the Tour’s title partner at the start of the 2022 season.