The 38-year-old was previously the Tour’s chief operating officer, General Counsel and head of the Asia-Pacific region. In his new role, in addition to continuing to oversee the Tour’s Asian operations, Shoemaker will be responsible for business affairs of the Tour, tournament and player relations, strategic expansion of the sport in key growth markets, international television and digital media rights distribution.
“David Shoemaker is a tremendous asset to women’s tennis and has been an integral member of the executive team for the last five years,” said Stacey Allaster. “David has done a fantastic job for the Tour on so many fronts, most recently defining the Tour’s strategy and leading our efforts to grow women’s tennis in Asia-Pacific. David’s unparalleled talent, business acumen and commitment to women’s tennis have contributed significantly to the worldwide expansion and prosperity of the sport. It’s a privilege to have David as a vital part of the leadership team.”
Shoemaker said: “The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour has never been in a stronger position and yet it continues to have incredible untapped potential. I am very excited to be part of Stacey’s team, and to have the opportunity to help lead the Tour and our sport to another level of success. The Tour has immense global appeal and, among my top priorities, I aim to drive continued growth in our key emerging markets.”
As the Head of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour’s Asia-Pacific Operations, Shoemaker opened the Tour’s Beijing headquarters in July 2008 where he has been responsible for defining and executing the strategy and growing the Tours presence in the region.
