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Simon Bazalgette, group chief executive of The Jockey Club, has confirmed that he will be stepping down from the role at the end of the year in a transition towards a non-executive career.
Bazalgette, who has been with The Jockey Club for over a decade, has recently been named as an independent non-executive director on the EFL Board, replacing his non-executive role at the London 2017 World Athletics and Para-Athletics Championships, where he was Senior Independent Non-Executive Director.
He also holds the position of a Trustee of the Ragged School Museum and a Member of the NSPCC’s Sports Board.
Simon Bazalgette, Group Chief Executive of The Jockey Club, commented on the announcement: “The Jockey Club is a fantastic, purpose-led organisation full of talented and experienced people, so this has been a really hard decision for me to make.
“When appointed a little over ten years ago I agreed to do at least five years before going non-executive, but there’s always been plenty to do and great opportunities that have kept me fully engaged. On the back of our tenth set of record results, and with a great team in place, now seemed the right time to make my transition. I’ll be standing down as Group Chief Executive by the end of the year, but I do hope to stay involved in a non-executive or advisory role.
“In my opinion, The Jockey Club is blessed with the best management team in British sport, supported by a strong Board and governance structure, and my executive colleagues and our hardworking teams have been instrumental to what’s been achieved across Jockey Club Racecourses, Jockey Club Estates, The National Stud and Racing Welfare in recent years, which I’m sure will go from strength-to-strength.”
The announcement comes swiftly after the announcement of another successful financial performance from The Jockey Club, with reports of a £27.1m contribution to British Racing’s prize money in 2018. The results demonstrated a tenth consecutive year of commercial growth under Bazalgette’s leadership.
The Jockey Club’s Board of Stewards will oversee the recruitment process, with advice being offered from talent advisory firm, SRI.
Roger Weatherby, Senior Steward of The Jockey Club, added: “Simon Bazalgette has made an outstanding contribution to British Racing as The Jockey Club’s first ever Group Chief Executive.
“He has played a pivotal role in major achievements for our sport, including revolutionising racing’s media rights value, vital Levy Reforms, nearly 100 days of free-to-air coverage with a dedicated major broadcaster in ITV; and most importantly the ability for The Jockey Club to make record contributions to prize money and investments in our facilities around the country on the back of strong commercial performance.
“He has assembled a first-class executive team and we will now begin a process to ensure his successor builds on the very robust foundations that Simon has laid.
“We are keen that The Jockey Club and Racing does not lose the significant knowledge and expertise that Simon has, and so we very much hope that he will continue to be involved in some way into the future.”
