Findlay, a qualified solicitor who has 18 years’ experience in senior executive, chief executive and Board level roles in sport, has been recruited to ensure the CGF achieves the "highest standards of governance".

The CGF said Findlay will be tasked with "providing leadership" and ensuring the organisation "deploys a best practice governance framework and compliance framework".

After a career in medical law, Findlay moved into sport law and management.

The British official was a non-executive director at each of the Mountain Training Trust, Badminton England and the Ladies Golf Union (LGU).

He is credited for leading the legal negotiations with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and the LGU to merge the two governing bodies in 2016.

The CGF said Findlay played an instrumental role in improving the governance structures of England Golf’s membership bodies, advising them on incorporation and merger between men’s and women’s county bodies.

Findlay also helped develop diversity strategies at both England Golf and British Cycling.

He lectures on sport law at Northumbria University and was previously the external examiner for the sports law masters at De Montford University as well as a judge of the Chartered Governance Institute’s Annual Awards.

"His role is to provide leadership and to be accountable for ensuring that the CGF deploys a best practice governance framework and compliance framework," a statement from the CGF read.

"Rod will support our General Assembly, Executive Board and its various committees to ensure they achieve the highest standards of governance as well as providing general governance and legal advice across the organisation."