McPherson named as GB badminton's new performance director

VIKKI McPherson has been named as Great Britain's head of performance for badminton ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

NEW BOSS: GB badminton players Jenny Wallwork and Gabby White will be overseen by new performance director Vikki McPherson (Alex Roache)

Scotland's McPherson, who competed internationally and helped Great Britain win team bronze at the 1998 World Cross-Country Championships, joins from the English Institute of Sport and has previously worked for both UK Sport and UK Athletics.

"I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with badminton at this crucial time and contribute to the ongoing evolution of the world-class system that Badminton England have established," said McPherson, who takes the reins from Ian Moss, who left his post last week.

"I have first-hand experience of the need for complete commitment and drive for perfectionism required to excel as an athlete.

"And I now adopt the same ‘no compromise' approach to ensuring that the support systems around the athletes are equally meticulous in their approach.

"My role will be to ensure that everything is in place to enable the coaches and players to have a 100 per cent undiluted focus on performance."

Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy added: "We are delighted to have secured such an outstanding candidate.

"Vikki is a world-class administrator who brings a wealth of experience to the role including a thorough understanding of the demands and needs of elite athletes having achieved great personal success.

"I have spoken previously about the desire and ambitions that we have to deliver a performance environment that enables us to consistently compete against the best in the world and I am confident that Vikki will help take us forward into a new era for GB badminton."