Andrew Nicholl has quit his post as the chief executive of the Australian Trainers Association after more than eight years in the job.
Nicholl, who announced his departure on Melbourne radio on Friday, will be replaced by Stephen Bell.
Bell takes up the role on January 22.
"There does come a time when you've got to renew and we've got a succession plan in place," Nicholl told RSN.
Nicholl will not be lost to the organisation because he will become its chair, a position that has been vacant for three years.
But he leaves the chief executive's role with a warning that the current fractured nature of Australian racing was harming the industry's ability to keep its marketshare against other sporting codes.
"There is so many competing interests (in racing). There's so many different stakeholders," he said.
"Everyone is trying to fight for their position. Everyone is trying to fight for their return and I think it makes it difficult when we are constantly in competition.
"And even when the last bastion of sensibility such as Racing Australia who many, many years ago were kind of the arbiter (when) states worked collegiately together, we respected each other in terms of our carnivals.
"There was a greater degree of cooperation. I mean, today cooperation is a secondary word.
"We are actually competing against a multitude of new sports too - and a different generation who've got different views.
"So there's a lot to be gained by working together but there's a lot to lose by not."
Bell is a well-known industry figure having worked at Racing Victoria, the Moonee Valley Racing Club and the Mornington Racing Club.
He's been the general manager of racing and wagering at Harness Racing Victoria since 2018.
