Salud to stay in PBA as President and CEO

MANILA, Philippines – Outgoing Commissioner Chito Salud will be staying in the PBA after all, albeit in a different capacity.

The league finalized its restructuring and reorganizing and have appointed Salud as the league’s first-ever President and Chief Executive Office or CEO, current Chairman Pato Gregorio announced Saturday, March 7 during the PBA All-Star Weekend in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. 

“The Board requested Chito Salud and he has accepted [the position],” Gregorio said, as stated on the PBA’s website. “Because the PBA feels that the league must address two issues: strategic growth and sustainability.”

“We realized that we needed badly to restructure when Commissioner Salud resigned,” Gregorio explained the league’s decision. “It is time to transform, so when we approved the restructuring, we cleared this with our owners and they all agreed unanimously, very fast, I must say. All said to push it to the next level.”

The new league organizational chart will include Salud’s new position as President and CEO, to be followed by a Chief Operating Officer or COO/Game Commissioner. 

The CEO will be a management role in charge of, according to the PBA, corporate communications, finance, marketing, administrative, human resources, and legal matters. The COO, on the other hand, will oversee both PBA and PBA D-League games as well as handle technical matters.

“We reviewed the structure of the companies and we also reviewed the NBA set-up,” Gregorio said. “The league’s growth is the most important reason for the decision to restructure.” 

“We still have to grow and we feel that the CEO could help us grow this league,” he added. 

Gregorio assured the PBA will have a new Commissioner by the end of the Commissioner’s Cup, which is nearing the end of its eliminations.

Salud announced he is stepping down as Commissioner by this season’s end last February 15 in favor of a “new and fresh leadership.” – Rappler.com