Asia Rugby appoints Edwin Kung and adds high-level ‘Advisory Committee’ to complement its 10 other Committees

In the annual review and of Asia Rugby committees, Edwin Kung has been appointed as the Regional Association’s Legal Counsel and a new Advisory Committee compromising highly talented individuals has been created.

The regional body President, Qais Al Dhalai explained, “setting proper reforms at the forefront, aiming at exploring new horizons and enhancing our governance system, we are introducing the first of its kind: the Advisory Committee.“

He further elaborated: “The Terms of Reference will be designed and developed by the committee members themselves as all of them bring in massive expertise in academia, sport management, the Olympic movement, athletes development and administration excellence.”

Related Article : https://www.asiarugby.com/2022/03/27/athletes-committee/

Summarizing the committee’s role, Al Dhalai stated, “The Advisory Committee will provide an important forum to identify a wide range of issues around sport and management, consequently offering wise advice to the Executive Committee together with proper knowledge and opportunities.“

The Committee will be Chaired by Professor Zu’bi Al-Zu’bi, PhD Dunelm, FHEA from Jordan. Al Zubi brings over 23 years of leadership, consulting, corporate and academic experience in sports federations and clubs, higher education institutes and private corporations. With specialisation in performance excellence, advancement and strategic management. He has advised governments, universities, not-for-profit and non-government organisations, as also multinational corporations in the Middle East on their development and growth plans.

He advised the governments of Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Libya, Iraq and Kuwait in the areas of infrastructure development, marketing strategies, nation-building and development of strategic directions.
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Additionally, Professor Al Zubi has worked with KPMG, PWC, and RBV as a subject matter expert in corporate strategy, market research studies, branding, competitive analysis, supply chain management, logistics and project management in the Middle East.

He will be supported by two members, Dr Trisha Leahy from Hong Kong and Lieutenant ColonelKulthon Prachuabmoh from Thailand
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Dr Trisha Leahy, PhD in Psychology, aJD (Law) Law, SBS, and BBS‎ is the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI), the HKSAR Government’s designated organization delivering Hong Kong’s elite sports system. She has also previously worked at the Australian Institute of Sport, as Senior Psychologist, and was awarded the Australia Sport Medal for services to Olympic sport in 2000 following the successful Sydney Olympic Games.

Dr. Leahy is an internationally recognised leader in her field, known for expertise in strategy, best-practice governance, stakeholder engagement and elite sport development.  She has published widely in academic and professional publications and is a highly sought after keynote speaker.

In Asia, Dr Leahy was collaboratively instrumental in establishing the first Asia-specific organisation, the Association of Sports Institutes in Asia, to enhance cooperation and exchange in the region. HKSI provides the Secretariat to this Association, which currently has 19 high performance institutional members.

In the wider international arena, Dr Leahy was a member of a UNICEF expert panel (2007-2009) advising on global research and policy strategies on safeguarding in sport. She was also a member of the International Olympic (IOC) Medical Commission’s expert consultative committee (2007-2015) that produced the IOC’s Consensus Statement on the same issue.

Dr. Leahy was awarded the HKSAR Government Award titled the Bronze Bauhinia Star (BBS) in 2014, and also the Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) in 2020, for her contributions to the community and to sport. She is fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin.
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Furthermore, Lieutenant Colonell Kulthon Prachuabmoh has served as:

Military Police Battalion, Area 11‎
Deputy Police Inspector, Police Division 1
Duty Officer to Tourist Police Commander, Tourist Police Division
Deputy Police Inspector, Sub 3 Division 2, Tourist Police Division
Police Inspector, Sub 6 Division 1, Tourist Police Division

Since 2019, Lieutenant Colonel Prachuabmoh is serving as Thailand Rugby Union President. He played scrum-half for his country, earning his first cap for Thailand in 1985. He was also the coach of the Thailand Rugby Sevens Men’s team that won the bronze medal in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea (ASIAD 2002)‎.