The Swiss Equestrian Federation has named Pierre E. Genecand as a candidate for the FEI presidency and submitted the official candidacy to the Fédération Equestre Internationale today, July 10. Genecand announced his intention to run in April this year.

It’s presumed that Genecand will run against incumbent FEI president HRH Haya bint al-Hussein, who could make herself available for a third period of office after an FEI Extraordinary General Assembly changed statues to allow one person to serve three terms. The election will take place in December in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Genecand, a 64-year-old insurance broker, successful businessman and the former owner of Gesrep AG, lives in Geneva and Buenos Aires (Argentina), and he has been president of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad, the most important Swiss polo tournament, for almost 20 years.

He has been actively involved in the organization of Swiss show jumping events for more than 40 years, in the course of which he was president of the CHI Geneva for 15 years and a member of the Alliance of Jumping Organizers from 1992 until 2003. Genecand also served as a member of the organizing committee of the 1998 World Equestrian Games in Rome and performed central television coordination tasks for the equestrian sport broadcasts for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. He speaks five languages fluently.

“As an independent president with no conflicting interests, he aims to bring a breath of fresh air to the many different areas of the FEI; in doing so he intends to increase the focus on the sport itself rather than on commercial interests, as well as on an increased media presence and in turn a greater recognition of equestrian sport among the general public,” stated a release from the SEF. “Looking after the interests of all national associations, irrespective of their size, is another central issue and of great importance for the future development and positioning of equestrian sport worldwide.

“In addition, Genecand is striving to achieve better communication and collaboration between the FEI organs and stakeholders with a view to discussing and resolving important subjects for the benefit of sport—with a particular overriding goal: the well-being of horses.”