Jockey Club driving force Truesdale to quit

Article posted by Coliseum, June 18^th, 2024

Image: The Jockey Club & isportsconnect

The Jockey Club (UK) has announced that Nevin Truesdale is to step down as its Group Chief Executive with his departure expected by the end of the year.

‘iGB’ stated that Nevin Truesdale has led The Jockey Club as the Chief Executive since April 2020. Prior to this, he spent time as its Chief Financial Officer and Group Finance Director.

London (UK)-based The Jockey Club is the largest commercial horse racing organization in the United Kingdom. It owns 15 of Britain’s famous racecourses, including the 75,000-capacity Aintree Racecourse in England, the 67,500-capacity Cheltenham Racecourse in England, the 130,000-capacity Epsom Downs Racecourse in Epsom, England, and the 20,000-plus-capacity both the Rowley Mile racecourses in Newmarket (UK).

‘iGB’ further stated that before joining the organization, Truesdale worked at British Gas for almost five years. This included spells in various senior financial roles.

Windsor (UK)-based the British Gas is an energy services and solutions company focused on energizing a greener, fairer future. The British Gas always looks at new ways to save energy and money for its customers.

Truesdale will continue to lead the Jockey Club in the coming months. He will work with the board of stewards and the executive team to manage the transition to his successor.

Under his leadership, the Jockey Club has seen growth across all revenue lines and attracted new commercial partners to racing. The organization has also expanded its customer base and the digital platforms.

Truesdale has also played a prominent role in campaigns against various issues facing the racing sector. These include leading the petition to Parliament against betting affordability checks and tackling illegal protest groups in 2023.

Observed Truesdale, “The Jockey Club has a unique role being run solely to invest the money it makes back into our sport. It has been a true privilege and my career highlight to work for and then lead this organization over the past 11 years. Together we have laid strong foundations for the future which will enable my successor to continue to grow the Jockey Club and ensure it continues to invest for the benefit of our sport and the communities it serves.”

Pat on the Back

Sandy Dudgeon, Senior Steward of the Jockey Club, paid tribute to the outgoing Truesdale. She hailed his “outstanding contribution” to both the organization and the horse racing industry – “Nevin took over the role of Chief Executive at an extremely challenging and unprecedented time both for the business and the whole racing industry. He steered us successfully out of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. He has also overseen a period of significant business transformation and improvement as well as the building of a very strong team for which the Board of stewards and I are immensely grateful. Nevin will leave our business and sport in a better place thanks to his leadership with a new long-term plan to strengthen and grow our business and sport.”

Dudgeon added that Truesdale announcing his exit now will allow the Jockey Club to identify and appoint a successor ahead of time – “By putting in place an orderly transition, we will ensure a smooth handover to the new leadership and the continuity in running the Jockey Club. Nevin leaves with our very best wishes for success in his future career but, for now, there is much to do and it is very much business as usual.”

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