The ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) has appointed Mike Thompson to lead the organisation’s marketing, communications and sponsorship teams and bring swimming back into vogue.

As the national governing body for the largest participation sport in England, Thompson’s role as chief marketing officer will be to build on the number of people swimming and promote the sport to new and existing swimmers.

Swimming has suffered a hard time of late, with the most recent Sport England figures showing 144,200 fewer people taking to the pool in the last six months and 390,700 fewer in the last year. The long term trend is also concerning, with 729,000 people stopping swimming in the last decade. Thompson will take up his role with the ASA on 9 November and will lead the front line fight to get people back in the pool.

Currently global marketing director for Carlsberg, Thompson brings a wealth of experience to the ASA, having worked with a range of leading commercial and sport brands including The Premier League, The FA, the Tour of Britain Cycling and ATP Tennis.

“This is an exciting time for the ASA as we begin to roll-out new plans to engage more people in swimming and aquatics,” said ASA chief executive Adam Paker.

“Mike will be integral to this and his experience of the consumer market and enthusiasm for engaging people in sport, made him the perfect candidate.”