Richard Lewis (Chair)
Richard became Chair of Sport England on 1
April 2009. He had previously been involved with the organisation
in a number of different ways, most recently leading Challenge
Group, which helped shape the thinking around, and direction of,
current Sport England strategy.
Prior to assuming his new role, Richard was Executive Chairman
of the Rugby Football League for seven years. He remains as Chair
of the RFL, but in a non-executive capacity. He is the Chair of the
Rugby League European Federation and Deputy Chair of the Rugby
League International Federation.
Following a career as an international tennis player and coach,
Richard was Director of Tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association from
1998 to 2000 before joining the RFL in 2002.
Jill Ainscough
Jill Ainscough is Chief Operating Officer of Ofcom, the
converged regulator for the UK communications industry.
Prior to joining Ofcom, Jill was Managing Director of BSkyB's
Easynet Group - a company she first joined as Director of Strategy
in 2001. Her achievements in that role included successful new
market entry into corporate data networks and securing and managing
a 3 year sponsorship of the British Olympic Association.
Previous main roles include Head of Marketing Development at
NTL; Financial Planning and Analysis Manager for Barclaycard
(1995-97); Business Planner for the Cambridge Cable Group (1994-95)
and Senior Financial Analyst for the Granada Group (1990-92).
Nick Bitel
Nick Bitel has been the Chief Executive of the
London Marathon, the world's most successful city centre marathon,
since 1995. The event has grown substantially in that time and now
sees over 35,000 finishers each year who between them raise a world
record £50.2 million per annum.
Nick is also senior partner in the niche sports law firm, Max
Bitel Greene and his major event clients include The Wimbledon
Championships and the Ryder Cup. Nick is a Board Member of the
Olympic Park Legacy Company and of the London Community Sports
Board. He has previously served as a board member of UK
Sport.
Clare Connor OBE
2006 aged 30, Clare was awarded the OBE after leading England to
a first Ashes win in 42 years. Clare retired from playing for
England that year with over 100 caps and having led the side for 6
years.
Clare is now Head of England Women’s Cricket at the England
& Wales Cricket Board, driving a highly successful period for
the women’s game. In 2009 the England team won the ICC World Cup,
the ICC World Twenty20, and retained the Ashes.
In 2008 Clare was made a Non-Executive Director of Sussex CCC
and the following year was appointed to the International Cricket
Council’s Cricket Committee as its first female member.
Clare has enjoyed a dynamic career outside cricket. For 7 years,
she combined the challenges of playing for England whilst teaching
English at Brighton College whilst also heading up their PR &
Marketing Operations. Clare has worked in the cricket media,
presenting for Channel 4 Cricket, summarising on Test Match Special
and writing a column in The Observer.
Michael Farrar CBE
An experienced NHS Manager and Senior
Civil Servant, currently Chief Executive of West Yorkshire
Strategic Health Authority. Previously Chief Executive of
Tees Health Authority and Head of Primary Care at the Department of
Health.
During his time at the Department of Health, Mike was
responsible for establishing Primary Care Groups, Primary Care
Trusts and PMS. Mike chaired the NHS Confederation GP
Contract Negotiating Team that successfully negotiated the new
General Medical Service contract. Mike currently chairs the
Strategic Health Authority Chief Executives' Group and is the
National Programme Director of NHS Live. Prior to working in
the NHS, Mike worked for Grand Metropolitan UK Ltd and pursued
early aspirations to play professional football and cricket.
Hanif Malik
Originating from a working class /ethnic
background and despite achieving moderately at school, Hanif Malik
has progressed to become the Chief Executive of the Hamara Healthy
Living Centre in Leeds.
He has served on a number of strategic boards at
a local and regional level and is described as ‘a leading community
figure in Leeds.
Hanif is a strong advocate of the Third Sector
and has a keen interest in sport and in enabling individuals and
community organisations to be given the opportunity to enhance
participation and achieve excellence.
Sadie Mason
Sadie Mason was appointed as Sussex County
Sports Partnership Director in August 2005 and, following its
transition to an independent charitable Trust (now known as Active
Sussex), is now the Chief Executive Officer with overall
responsibility for the Trusts business and financial
operations.
Sadie leads a team of eight full-time and five part-time
professional officers and has a dual role as Company Secretary to
the Trust. The role includes working with senior sports development
professionals across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton &
Hove to strategically support and influence the development of
local sports policy and partners’ delivery plans.
Sadie previously enjoyed a seven-year financial services career
with NatWest Bank plc up until 1995, has national governing body
experience as Basketball Scotland’s Director (1996-2000) and is a
former basketball international player having represented England
and Great Britain at junior and senior levels. Sadie is currently
involved in community sport as a regional junior basketball coach
and England Basketball
Peter Rowley
Peter Rowley retired as a director and Chief Executive of
Darlington Building Society in 2009 after 17 years in post
following a long career in retail finance in banking and building
societies at senior levels.
Peter has developed strong associations with
grassroots sports through his role as leader of a community based
financial institution, including longstanding sponsorships of a
broad range of sporting leagues, organisations and initiatives.
Now an advisor to charities, voluntary groups and
social enterprises as Head of Business Support with The Social
Investment Business, he is Regional Champion for Community Sport in
the North East and holds a portfolio of non-executive appointments
in community, public and private organisations.
An enthusiastic sportsman, he is a passionate
runner, competing domestically and overseas at club level at all
distances from 5k up to, and including, marathons.
R Michiel Stevenson OBE DL Hon MA
In 1992 Mich formed the Lace Market Heritage Trust to
enable and encourage the regeneration of the historic Lace Market
area of Nottingham, which and was appointed its inaugural
Chairman. In 1993 The Museum of Law Trust Company was formed
to oversee the creation of the Galleries of Justice, working
towards its recognition as the National Museum of Law. He was
appointed Chairman. In July 1997 Mich was awarded Honorary Degree
of Master of Arts (Nottingham Trent University) in recognition of
his contribution to the regeneration of the Nottingham Lace
Market.
In 1998 Mich was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List
for “Services to the Galleries of Justice, Nottingham”. In
2001 Mich was awarded "Enterprise Midlander of the Year" for East
and West Midlands, by Carlton Television and has since been
appointed Chairman of the Carlton Television Midlander of the Year
and has also been appointed a Director of the Regional Advisory
Council for Carlton Television.
Mich served as Chairman of Nottingham Development Enterprise for
five and a half years before retiring in 2001. He was
also the Chairman of Profile Nottingham from which he retired in
July 2001.
In December 2004, Mich became Deputy Lieutenant of
Nottinghamshire.
James Stewart
James is the Chief Executive of
Partnerships UK. He was appointed in May 2000. He is
also a Director of the Northern Ireland Strategic Investment Board,
a member of the Joint Venture Board of Partnerships for Schools and
a Non-Executive Director on Sport England.
Previously James was Head of Newcourt Capital’s project finance
team in London. Prior to joining Newcourt Capital, James was
Managing Director of Project Finance and the Global Head of
Infrastructure and Environment with Société Générale (SG) in
London.
Peter Stybelski
Peter Stybelski was Chief Executive of Cumbria
County Council and prior to that was Chief Executive at Carlisle
City Council.
Peter has worked for Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, where
he was the Director of Leisure Services and for The Royal Borough
of Kensington and Chelsea as Chief Amenities Officer.
Prior to that he held positions involving leisure and recreation
at Blackpool Borough Council and Oxford City Council.
Martin Thomas
In January 2007 Martin Thomas founded his own
marketing communications consultancy. Prior to this he was Head of
Strategy at the Media Planning Group, a leading media planning and
buying agency. In 2004 he co-founded Nylon, a specialising planning
consultancy within the WPP group.
Before that he was Global Head of Total Communications,
Mediaedge: cia (MEC), responsible for global communications and
strategic planning advice for clients including Norwich Union,
Lego, Visa International and Citibank. From 1999 to 2002 he was
board director at The Media Edge and undertook various other
communications-related roles at managerial level in advertising,
public relations and sponsorship from 1986.