Canadian Business Leader David Clanachan Named First Commissioner of the Canadian Premier League

- Canada's professional men's soccer league set
 to debut in spring 2019 -

TORONTO, Jan. 10, 2018 /CNW/ - The Canadian Premier League Board of Governors confirmed today the appointment of David Clanachan as the first Chairman and Commissioner of the Canadian Premier League (CPL). Canada's highly anticipated professional men's soccer league is set to debut in spring 2019.

Clanachan will oversee all aspects of the CPL. Clanachan's first order of business will be to announce CPL clubs in key Canadian communities from coast to coast.

Canada Soccer confirmed membership of the CPL, along with founding cities Hamilton and Winnipeg, in May 2017. The new CPL clubs will seek formal membership in Canada Soccer at the 2018 Annual Meeting of Members.

Clanachan will manage the day-to-day operations of the CPL out of the league's new head office in downtown Toronto.

About David Clanachan
Clanachan is the Chairman of Restaurant Brands International, Canada. Having spent his whole professional career at Tim Hortons, Clanachan was named President and Chief Operating Officer of Tim Hortons Canada in 2014, and has more than 35 years with the brand. Clanachan was a key member of the leadership team that grew Tim Hortons into the iconic Canadian brand that it is today.

The Burlington, Ontario native has also been a champion of Tim Hortons' popular Timbits Minor Sports Program – a grassroots community program sponsored by Tim Hortons Restaurant Owners across the country, which has provided millions of Canadian children with the opportunity to play house-league sports. This includes more than 300,000 Canadian children who play Timbits Soccer every year.

A passionate soccer enthusiast, Clanachan has played competitive and recreational soccer his entire life. Known for his "aggressive defending," Clanachan still takes the pitch every week playing in the Burlington Soccer League. 

Quotes
"It's an absolute honour to have been selected as Commissioner of the CPL and to lead the ground-breaking team that ushers in this exciting new era of Canadian professional soccer across the country. Soccer is a lifelong passion of mine – as I know it is for countless Canadians – and the CPL will not only fuel Canada's love for soccer, but it will also cultivate a new generation of players, coaches, officials and business leaders."
David Clanachan
Commissioner Canadian Premier League

"As a business leader, David has had exceptional success engaging Canadians in every corner of the country, and so we cannot be more excited to have him at the forefront of the CPL. His leadership will be key to ensure that Canada Soccer's mandate of growing the game under the right conditions will be met with the CPL providing more playing opportunities for Canadian footballers in a professional environment."
Steven Reed
President, Canada Soccer

"David is an inspirational leader that speaks to the soccer fan in all of us. His business acumen is second to none and his experience will help us achieve our goal of creating a league that ultimately becomes an important part of Canada's sports and cultural landscape."
Bob Young
CPL Board of Governors

About the Canadian Premier League
Canadian Premier League (CPL) is Canada's domestic men's soccer league set to debut in spring 2019. Playing in world-class and unique venues, The CPL will bring professional soccer to communities across our great country. Canada Soccer approved the membership of the CPL and founding cities Hamilton and Winnipeg at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Members. The CPL has intentions to partner with strong community-led ownership groups to bring professional soccer to Canadian communities from coast to coast.

For updates and more information, please go to CanPL.ca.

SOURCE Canadian Premier League