The Sports Hub Pte Ltd (SHPL), the consortium that manages the $1.33 billion Singapore Sports Hub, started and ended 2019 with major changes to its management team.

In January, news of the departures of three senior management staff - chief executive officer (CEO) Oon Jin Teik, chief operating officer (COO) Wong Lup Wai and chief financial officer Sandy Tay - sent shock waves through the sports fraternity.

Oon, a former national swimmer, had taken the reins of SHPL in January 2018 and stepped down officially from his role in April this year.

The SHPL bided its time in the search for his replacement, and late last month named former Singapore Tourism Board head Lionel Yeo its new CEO.

Yeo, 46, will begin his new role in February. He is the fourth man to helm the Sports Hub after Frenchman Philippe Collin-Delavaud (March 2011-December 2015), Singaporean Manu Sawhney (October 2015-May 2017) and Oon (January 2018-April 2019).

Yeo's appointment was followed by news that SHPL COO Adam Firth would be leaving the consortium at the end of next month .

An SHPL spokesman told ST then that the move was a result of a review of the consortium's organisational structure, and that a team of "highly qualified senior managers" would be appointed by February 2020.

The positions that will be filled include the chief of infrastructure and operations, assistant general manager of programming and sales and general manager, rugby sevens.

The spokesman said that SHPL is constantly evaluating its organisation structure "to ensure that we have the right people, expertise and skill sets to optimise resources to deliver a comprehensive programme of premier sport, entertainment and lifestyle events".