Grant Simmer is regarded as a grey eminence and extremely experienced manager in the world of the America's Cup. The Australian has already competed ten times in various roles for the most important jug in international sailing. Initially as a young navigator on "Australia II" during its historic Cup triumph in 1983, later as Head of Design and Team Manager for various campaigns. He celebrated great success with the Swiss team Alinghi. Ernesto Bertarelli's racing team, to whose quality chief designer Rolf Vrolijk also made a significant contribution, won the Cup in 2003 and 2007. Simmer then moved to Larry Ellison's Oracle Team USA. The fact that the man from Down Under is now switching again and will be hunting for the Cup for Sir Ben Ainslie's ambitious Land Rover BAR team in the future has several implications. On the one hand, the new signing clearly emphasises the British team's ambitions to win once again and, on the other, puts a big question mark over the future Cup ambitions of software billionaire Larry Ellison.
Sir Ainslie and Grant Simmer have known each other well for a long time and have already worked together under one roof during the Americans' victory in 2013. "Grant's experience and success in the America's Cup is second to none. He has won the America's Cup four times, either as a sailor, design coordinator or general manager. He is the right man to support Land Rover BAR in its aim to bring the Cup home to the UK." Simmer was naturally delighted too: "It seems like the right time to join Team Land Rover BAR. Emirates Team New Zealand will be introducing the new boat class later this month. Then we can move forward and further develop and strengthen our design strategy." Grant Simmer will take over responsibility for Sport & Performance in Team Land Rover BAR alongside Sir Ben Ainslie. The team's declared goal is to win the Cup in 2021.
Former Formula 1 manager Martin Whitmarsh, who came on board for the last Cup campaign, will remain with the team as a consultant and CEO of the newly formed company BAR Technologies. His future responsibilities will include the commercialisation of the technologies developed by the sailing team. Whitmarsh says: "Ben, Charles(Ed.: Dunstone) and I always realised that we needed someone with a full-time focus on the sailing team. I'm thrilled that we now have someone with Grant's experience. It means I can help Ben on the business side and, of course, in bringing the Cup home."
Grant Simmer said: "I'm really impressed with what Ben, Martin and their team have created from a standing start in just four years. After a period of consolidation and reflection since the end of the last Cup off Bermuda, I now see a team that has laid the foundations for a strong organisation and is ready for the challenge ahead." Simmer will be based in England from November and will relocate from Australia to the UK in the new year - partly to comply with the new strict nationality rule.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
