Rod Street to Leave GBR Next Month

Rod Street has announced his intention to step down from his role as CEO of Great British Racing (GBR) at the end of April.

Street has led British horseracing's marketing body since 2010 but has plans to launch his own mentoring venture. He will continue in his role as CEO of British Champions Series Limited until later in the year.

“It is my privilege to work in horseracing. I enter my 31st year in the sport in May this year and that time has been split evenly between senior leadership roles – both at racecourses and at the centre of the sport,” he said. “The time feels right to do something new and it is my intention to launch a new venture in coaching and mentoring leaders of the future, which many people know is a passion of mine.

“I am very proud of the achievements of the team at GBR. Racing is significantly better promoted now than it was 15 years ago. Jockeys are developing into superb ambassadors for the sport, we produce content on an almost daily basis and it is rare for a news opportunity or milestone to be missed. GBR has delivered large national campaigns on themes as diverse as equine welfare, under 18s race free and Sports Personality of the Year. Such is the extent of GBR's work that our name goes largely unnoticed, as it should do, because our job is to tell the stories – not be the story.”

He continued, “Reflecting on my time at GBR, there have been so many positive moments. Often it is the hard-earned wins that provide the most satisfaction – such as the team landing coverage of a sporting achievement on the national six o'clock or ten o'clock news programmes, or securing a big feature in the tabloids and broadsheets. But, in terms of major impact, I would cite QIPCO British Champions Series and Day and National Racehorse Week as huge innovations. And we also now have a Flat Racing Hall of Fame, which has been an honour to work on.

“Looking to racing's future, this is a time of both challenge and opportunity. It is encouraging that the sport has come together to address declines in revenue and engagement. Racing is not alone – most sports outside football face precisely the same challenge – and we are competing for customers' attention in a fiercely competitive environment. The principle of leading with our best quality products through Premier Racing is the right one. I remain optimistic for the sport, because we have history, heritage and a level of coverage that other sports would die for.”

The BHA's chief executive Julie Harrington paid tribute to Street's “trademark optimism and vivacity”.

She said, “Rod is an experienced, respected and much-loved individual in racing. Working in a multi-stakeholder environment is not easy and it is testament to Rod's qualities that he has thrived in the role of CEO at Great British Racing for nearly 15 years.

“More recently he has been an integral part of the Industry Strategy, working across multiple areas, and has made a huge contribution to that.

“We are sincerely sorry to lose him, but respect his decision and on behalf of racing's stakeholders thank him for all he has done, including the energy and passion he has brought to every task. Rod has made a big difference to how racing is promoted, compared to when he joined GBR in 2010. I'm sure we will continue to see lots of him in the future.”

\

The post Rod Street to Leave GBR Next Month appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Shaun Hinds Appointed New CEO Of Newbury

Shaun Hinds has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of Newbury Racecourse, succeeding Julian Thick who announced his resignation in August, the racecourse announced on Wednesday. Thick served in the role for 10 years.

Hinds will begin his tenure as CEO and join the company's board in the summer of 2024 once he has served out his notice period with his current employer, Manchester Central Convention Centre. He has held that role for the past 6 1/2 years.

Dominic Burke, the chairman of Newbury Racecourse PLC, said, “Julian has made an enormous contribution to Newbury over the past ten years. We wish him the very best for the future.

“The board is delighted to be announcing Shaun's appointment following a wide-ranging and competitive search. Shaun has a longstanding interest in racing stemming from his childhood in Newmarket and will work closely with clerk of the course, George Hill. Shaun's proven success in running a business with multiple physical assets combined with his wealth of commercial experience made him the outstanding candidate.”

Hinds added, “It's a great privilege to be joining a racecourse with the prestige and heritage of Newbury, and I'd like to thank Dominic and the board for the opportunity. I'm tremendously excited to be joining such a fantastic team.”

The post Shaun Hinds Appointed New CEO Of Newbury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Paul Hensey Named New CEO Of The Association Of Irish Racecourses

Paul Hensey has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR) and begins his role later this month. He will replace Paddy Walsh, who is retiring after over two decades in the position, on Mar. 31.

Hensey was most recently the Chief Operating Officer of Al Shaqab Racing, and he also worked with the Turf Club for six years. Previously, he also spent almost 15 years managing the Curragh Racecourse and training grounds and was also a member of AIR. He served two terms on the board of AIR during this time.

Conor O'Neill, Chairman of AIR, said, “Over the last few months, AIR has embarked on a competitive public recruitment process to find our incoming CEO. This extensive search was expertly handled on our behalf by Principal Connections–executive search who are part of Agilium Worldwide, LLC, one of the world's top global executive search groups. Following a meeting of the board of AIR this afternoon, I am delighted to announce that Paul Hensey's appointment was formally approved.

“Paul will take over the reins from Paddy Walsh when he retires from office at the end of March. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Paul on his appointment and welcome him on behalf of the board and our members. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our outgoing CEO Paddy Walsh who has played an integral role in the association and indeed the wider industry for decades. It has been my pleasure to work alongside him during my time as Chairman of the association and although we still have plenty of work to do between now and then I wish him the very best and every good wish for his retirement.”

Hensey added, “I am delighted with the appointment and feel this role really plays to my strengths. I am extremely proud of and passionate about the Irish horse racing product and I'm very much looking forward to getting involved in the racecourse side of the industry once again. Having been a member of the Association of Irish Racecourses for many years, I am keenly aware of the importance of this association, and the role it plays for our members and I am very much looking forward to getting started.”

The post Paul Hensey Named New CEO Of The Association Of Irish Racecourses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Darragh O’Loughlin Appointed New IHRB CEO

Darragh O'Loughlin has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB). O'Loughlin will begin serving in his new role on June 29. Previously, O'Loughlin was the Secretary General of the Irish Pharmacy Union from 2013 until April of this year. He also served as a Council Member of the PSI (The Pharmacy Regulator) for six years and was a board member of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).

Martin O'Donnell, Chairman of the IHRB, said, “Darragh brings an exceptional combination of regulatory expertise and long experience in sectoral development and advocacy as well as stakeholder engagement at the highest level in Ireland and the EU.

“Darragh combines proven strategic, organisational and people leadership with impressive regulatory credentials and extensive stakeholder engagement experience.  We look forward to him leading the IHRB and our top-class committed team as we enter our next strategic planning phase. This will guide the organisation's priorities in addressing the evolving needs of Irish horse racing and ensuring the continued positive reputation of the sport and ongoing confidence for all stakeholders.”

O'Loughlin, a pharmacist by trade, added, “I am honoured to have been appointed to this vital role for horse racing and look forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead. Ireland is rightly at the forefront of global horse racing and has an enviable reputation thanks to the great work of all stakeholders, including the excellent team at the IHRB, who have been acknowledged as best in class at what they do. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to ensure Irish horse racing and its reputation continue to thrive over the coming years.”

The post Darragh O’Loughlin Appointed New IHRB CEO appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights