Johan Eliasch, President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) since 2021, was elected as an IOC Member in 2024, with his candidature linked to his function within an International Federation (IF).
The Swedish-British businessman, philanthropist and long-time environmentalist, who turned 63 on 15 February, wrote in his manifesto: “I may not be a veteran of the IOC, but I am no novice. My experience has equipped me with the exact skill sets needed for this role.
“There can be no better apprenticeship in sports administration than running a big international federation – and FIS, which I lead, is one of the largest, covering 14 disciplines and delivering 55 percent and percent of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games medals respectively.”
On Tuesday, 25 February, Eliasch will be the second guest on “Let’s Talk to the IOC Presidential Candidates”, a series of Q&A sessions that offers a unique platform for the candidates to communicate their vision for the Olympic movement to sports journalists from different parts of the world.
The meeting, which is organised by AIPS and is exclusive to AIPS members, will be conducted by the AIPS President Gianni Merlo.
Eliasch is also a member of the British Olympic Association and a member of the Association of International Winter Olympic Federations. He previously served as a director of Special Olympics Great Britain and is the chairman of the international sports goods company HEAD, based in Austria.
Beyond sports, Eliasch is an environmental expert. He served in the UK Government as the Special Representative of the Prime Minister on Deforestation and Clean Energy. In 2005, he created the Rainforest Trust and in 2006, he co-founded Cool Earth, a charity dedicated to rainforest conservation.
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