Tiley, 64, will leave Australia to become chief executive of the US Tennis Association, responsible for the US Open later this year.
The deal will officially be announced on Wednesday morning, ending months of speculation and creating a vacancy in one of Australian sport’s highest leadership positions.
It will trigger a global executive search for a replacement for a tournament director for the record breaking Australian Open and the chief executive role for Tennis Australia.
Tiley told the Herald Sun: “I’ve loved my time here – 20 years and 13 as a CEO – it’s a good time to give someone else a good opportunity.’’
While the net will be cast wide for a replacement for the roles, the Herald Sun can reveal Tiley’s replacement will fill both positions rather than them being split in two.
And Tiley will have a role choosing his successor.
“I’m going to be here for quite a few more months,’’ he said.
“There’s quite a bit of work to be done here.
“The board have asked me to be integrally involved in naming the successor.
“And we’ve got a few key things that we’re delivering on, which I want to finish off.’’
Respected TA executive Tom Larner, currently “chief tennis officer’’ is tipped to be a frontrunner for the position.
Tiley was tight lipped about who he wanted to replace him.
“I’m not pushing for anyone because we haven’t started the process yet,’’ he said.
“So, I don’t even know if someone like Tom’s interested in it.
“I mean, we’re going to have those conversations. This is like hot off the press.’’
But he did confirm one person would fill both jobs.
“Unequivocally, it’ll be one role,’’ he said.
“The board has been very clear on what they want, and I agree with their decision.
“They’re looking for a CEO to run the business.
“The CEO will come in and there’s four big parts of the business: you’ve got participation, getting people to play the game.
“You’ve got performance, getting players to perform in the game.
“And then you’ve got the platforms, which is the events. Providing them with the platforms to play on.’’
Tiley will continue in both roles until a replacement is found in coming months.
He said the process of joining the USTA had been “going on and on for about six months’’.
He had “been deliberating closely the last few weeks and then made a decision’’.
Tennis Australia has appointed international executive recruitment firm Egon Zehnder to lead the search for Tiley’s replacement.
But Tiley said TA could easily fill the role from within.
“We’ve got leaders that could step into these shoes, I think, and then seamlessly lead the organisation,’’ he said.
Tiley has served as tournament director since 2006, Tennis Australia chief since 2013 and joined Tennis Australia as director of player development in 2005.
The South African born, former tennis coach said his decision was also driven by the fact he had family in the US.
In the two decades he was in control, the Melbourne Grand Slam exploded into sporting behemoth with huge crowds flocking each year to an ever increasing line up of food, entertainment music and tennis.
He said he would leave TA and the AO on a high.
“I’m really happy with the shape of the organisation, what we’ve created and what’s been built,’’ he said.
“Sometimes these things, the best time to leave something is when it is on top so you can let it keep going.’’
Tiley said the TA board had a clear notion of what they wanted in his successor.
“They’ll be looking for someone that can do one job because that’s what they want,’’ he said. “And I think it’s going to be someone that is exactly culturally aligned to humility, excellence, collaboration, and imagination.
“Those are our four key values and the person coming in will have to demonstrate at the highest order the ability to live those four.’’
Tennis Australia Chair Chris Harrop said: “Under Craig’s leadership, participation and engagement with our sport has gone from strength to strength.
He said Tennis Australia was “now globally renowned for its innovation, inclusiveness and event management.
“The fact that Craig has been selected for one of the biggest roles in global sport is a testament to the strength of our organisation.’’
He said TA was “well equipped to deliver continued success.
“We have commenced an internal and external search for a new CEO and look forward to an orderly transition.”
While a decision on the move was only made recently, Tiley teased his likely departure in an exclusive interview with the Herald Sun early in last month’s AO.
“Everything has a beginning and everything has an end,’’ he said.
Departing Tiley’s love letter to Melbourne
This city captivated me long before I started working here.
Coming here for the AO as a coach it was immediately apparent how much Melburnians love their sport, especially their tennis. So we immediately bonded!
And just look throughout Melbourne and indeed Victoria there are so many tennis clubs.
But all sport, entertainment and culture is just so important here. Not just watching, but participating. Embedding ourselves in it. We prioritise it.
As a city it has always struck me that Melbourne somehow manages to be fiercely parochial but also a truly international city. A productive and leading member of the global community.
Perhaps it’s the diversity here. So prevalent in our food and culture. In our interests. Even in our weather!
By the way I love that our weather involves four distinct seasons. Four different attitudes. Four different landscapes. And we celebrate them all with our entertainment, sport, music, food, fashion and culture.
When we arrived we were welcomed into the community by so many people. And this city has continued to welcome us. We have built lifelong friendships here.
In business, government, sport, education, arts and culture our family have encountered so many inspirational people who thrive on trying new things. Leading. Growing. There is no ceiling here on what you can achieve. Yes, there are points of difference in philosophy, politics and ideas. And there are challenges. But underpinning it all is a deep sense of care for this community.
It is what makes it such an awesome place to live. We came with a plan to stay for three years. And while we are planning to leave for a new adventure we take a part of Melbourne with us everywhere we go.
And of course, we will be back for the AO every year. I mean, how can you possibly miss that!