Chris Brand, BHB Finance Director since August 2004, will take on the role of Acting Chief Executive on Monday 3rd July, following the departure of current Chief Executive Greg Nichols at the end of June. By this time, the search for a full-time Chief Executive of the new British Horseracing Authority (BHA) will be underway.
The appointment was recommended by BHB’s Nominations and Remuneration Committee and unanimously agreed by the Board at its meeting on Monday.
Brand, 36, will take on the full range of responsibilities of BHB Chief Executive, and will play a central role in the formation of the BHA, which will see the merging of the sport’s governance and regulatory functions by 1st January 2007. He will also represent BHB on the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.
He will retain overall control of the Governance and Regulatory Budget, and oversee all BHB’s legal, business and commercial affairs, with his remaining responsibilities as Finance Director to be allocated amongst existing BHB personnel.
Prior to joining BHB, Brand was Head of Finance and Business for BBC Radio 4 and BBC7. He graduated in mathematics from Oxford University and in 1992 joined Trafalgar House, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1995. He has a lifelong interest in horseracing.
BHB Chairman Martin Broughton said: “Chris is a very talented and valued member of BHB’s Executive team, and the Board had no hesitation in appointing him as Acting Chief Executive for what will be a particularly important period in determining British Racing’s future governance structure. I am confident that he will ensure a smooth and efficient transition to the launch of BHA.”
Chris Brand said: “I am delighted to accept the opportunity to take on the Acting Chief Executive role. I’ve really enjoyed my near two years as Finance Director, and I can now look forward to a period taking on the wider brief, working closely with Racing’s many and varied stakeholders.
“Delivering the new BHA from a concept to a working reality is a major and exciting challenge. With a fantastic team of BHB staff to help me along the way, together with the dedication of the HRA team led by Peter Webbon and vital support from BHB’s shareholders, I have every confidence that we can launch BHA to long-standing success.”
