 De Vos will start his new role as UKA chief executive in May |
After a six-month search, UK Athletics has unveiled Niels de Vos as its new chief executive, persuading him to leave the same post at Sale Sharks rugby union club.
But athletics bosses, and De Vos himself, will have to wait a little longer to find out if he is the right man to replace outgoing chief Dave Moorcroft.
Highly prized by Sale, De Vos will not move to UK Athletics' Solihull offices until he has served a shortened four-month notice period at Edgeley Park.
"There is an element of having a foot in both camps," he told BBC Sport. "In the evenings and at weekends I will be immersed in athletics but professionally my focus will be at Sale."
De Vos' commitment to Sale will finish at the end of the Premiership season in May, but the delay means his strategy for change at UK Athletics is somewhat hazy.
 | It's the job I've dreamt of for 20 years and I'm eager to get on with it |
When asked about his plans, the 39-year-old reiterated that he had not started his job yet, and left new chairman Ed Warner, who will fill in for De Vos until his arrival, to smoothly bat away the questions.
When pressed, De Vos said: "I can't say with any certainty what has to be done."
While he is reluctant to reveal his hand now, his outstanding record at Sale speaks volumes for his capabilities.
606 DEBATE: What changes should De Vos make?
The Birmingham-bred businessman arrived at Sale after raking in more than �30m in revenue as commercial director of the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.
In four years, De Vos moved Sale from Heywood Road to Edgeley Park, boosted average gates from 3,500 to 10,500 and turned a �2m annual loss into a �350,000 profit.
"When he took over it was a shambles," a Sale spokesman told BBC Sport. "Niels turned Sale around. The way he structured the club means we are very strong now."
| DE VOS FACTS: Born: Walsall, March 1967 Football team: Birmingham City Business background Chief executive of Sale Sharks RFC, Commercial director of Manchester 2002, Head of Corporate Relations at Barnardo's Athletics background Personal best of 1:57.20 in 800m, keen amateur runner Famous for: Launching a vicious, public attack on the Rugby Football Union about plans to reduce the Premiership Ed Warner on De Vos: People have fallen in love in less time than we have known each other |
It is that ability to transform an organisation with speed and efficiency that made De Vos such an attractive proposition to UK Athletics.
With the London 2012 Games looming, the sport needs a facelift and fast, and De Vos says that will be his first priority.
"My role is to redefine UK Athletics' vision and to devise a strategy with Ed (Warner) to deliver that," he said.
"Everything we do must have absolute clarity of purpose. I turned Sale from an amateur club into a professional organisation and I have to create a similar environment of excellence at UK Athletics.
"What I bring is a proven track record in sports administration, a fresh pair of eyes, creative ways of bringing businesses forward and delivering results quickly."
For many athletics observers, De Vos' success or otherwise will only be measured one way - in gold, silver and bronze.
After three golds on the track at the 2004 Olympics, Great Britain claimed a solitary gold at 2005 World Championships thanks to Paula Radcliffe and just one at last year's European Championships (the men's 4x100m).
The new man is all too aware that he will ultimately be judged by Britain's medal haul.
"We have to try and return to the days when we won more medals but I can't wave a magic wand," he said.
"I'm sure I will be judged on gold medals but that will be the pinnacle of our success. It won't be our only success; our involvement and commitment to the sport goes beyond that."
| I'm not going to be asked to coach or pull on a GB vest and try and win medals myself |
Just how deep the commitment of both De Vos and Warner runs has been called into question given that both come from successful business, not sporting, backgrounds.
Although athletics luminaries such as Lord Sebastien Coe, Brendan Foster and Steve Cram rejected overtures from UK Athletics, Warner had a succinct riposte for those who argue UK Athletics should have appointed a former athlete to at least one of the roles.
"People can be seduced into thinking a former athlete would do a great job but that is just a sugar rush," he said. "When they were out training they weren't learning how to administrate and that's important."
De Vos, a former schoolboy 800m runner, was similarly emphatic. "I'm not going to be asked to coach or pull on a GB vest and try and win medals myself.
"My responsibility is the day-to-day running of a �20m business, but athletics is also the sport I grew up in.
"I used to pass the British Athletic Federation offices in Birmingham and I told my future wife, 'I want to work there one day'.
"I could never have turned down this opportunity. It's the job I've dreamt of for 20 years and I'm eager to get on with it."
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