UK Athletics Board

ED WARNER

Chairman

Qualifications:
BA (hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Worcester College, Oxford.

Role at UK Athletics:
Acting as a Non-Executive Chairman, Ed leads the Board of UK Athletics and ensures that it is effective. He works closely with the Chief Executive and mentors and monitors his performance in delivering UK Athletics’ strategy, while playing a key role in the organisation’s vision and communication. Ed is passionate about athletics and as a club runner himself has a perspective of the sport from its grassroots.

Other Commitments:
Ed is both a city businessman and a leading commentator on financial matters. He is a respected media commentator on business and lectures on the investment banking industry at Cranfield School of Management.

Career Summary:
In 2006 Ed successfully sold the IFX Group plc, the financial trading and spread betting company, having been its Chief Executive for three years. Previously he was CEO of Old Mutual Financial Services UK, Head of Pan European Equities at BT Alex Brown and Head of Global Research at Dresdner Kleinwort Benson.

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NIELS DE VOS

Chief Executive

Qualifications:
BA (hons) in History from Keble College, Oxford.

Role at UK Athletics:
Niels has been Chief Executive of UK Athletics since 1 May 2007 and is responsible for the day to day running of the business, leading the sport through it’s next phase of development and driving the creation and implementation of a UK wide strategy that will take the sport of athletics to London 2012 and beyond.

Career Summary:
Niels was previously CEO of Guinness Premiership Rugby team Sale Sharks, whom he guided to the Premiership title in 2006. Prior to joining Sharks, Niels was Commercial and Marketing Director of the hugely successful Manchester Commonwealth Games. 90% of tickets were sold – beating the record set by the Sydney Olympics, and the event raised more in commercial sponsorship than any other international sporting event ever held in the UK. The Commonwealth Games was, in the eyes of many, the event that restored Britain’s international reputation for hosting major sporting events. Niels joined the Games in April 1999 having set another sponsorship record in his previous employment as Commercial General Manager at the Millennium Experience – securing £150m in 18 months. Whist at the Millennium Experience, Niels also conceived and created the Children’s Promise Appeal, raising over £20m for UK Children’s Charities.

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KEVAN TAYLOR

Finance and Operations Director / Company Secretary

Qualifications:
Fellow Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

Role at UK Athletics:

Kevan was appointed Finance Director and Company Secretary in February 2011. He is also the Finance Director for England Athletics Limited. Kevan’s role also includes management of the company’s Procurement team and he is the representative for UK Athletics on the Major Spectator Sports Division of the Sport and Recreation Alliance.

Career Summary:

Kevan has been a director in four sports since his appointment as Finance Director of Sale Sharks in 2002. At the Premiership Rugby club, he was involved in the transformation of the commercial performance of the club as it established itself as a leading force in rugby union. He was subsequently appointed Finance Director at Stockport County FC, a role he fulfilled alongside his responsibilities for Sale Sharks as both clubs came under common ownership. Kevan was promoted to Chief Executive of Stockport County in 2004. In 2007 Kevan became involved in a third sport when he was recruited as the Finance Director of the Lawn Tennis Association where he was also a member of the Tennis Leadership Team

Before becoming professionally involved in sport, Kevan was a Finance Director at Granada plc (now known as ITV), for seven years with responsibility for the financial direction of the largest commercial television production and distribution business in the United Kingdom. During his time at Granada, Kevan was a member of the executive team responsible for the acquisition of three major television groups.

     

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SARAH SMART

Non-Executive Director

Qualifications:

• MA in Classics from Oxford University

• Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland

 

Role at UKA:

Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee

Other Commitments:

• Director of SmartCats Consulting Ltd

• Chair of The Pensions Trust

• Board member of the London Pensions Fund Authority

• Non-Executive Director of Social Investment Scotland

 

Career Summary:

Having trained as a chartered accountant in Scotland, Sarah spent approximately 10 years in various roles within the investment management industry. Sarah now holds a portfolio of non-executive and advisory positions, specialising in ensuring excellent organisational governance and risk management.

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SARAH ROWELL

Non Executive Director

Qualifications:

• BSc (hons) in sports science from University of Brighton

• PhD from University of Brighton

• Fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences

 

Role at UK Athletics 
Non-Executive Director

Other Commitments:

• Partner at Wharton Consulting

• Board member at London Marathon

• Member of the European Athletics Mountain Running Commission

• Director of High Performance World Class Lifting

 

Career summary:

Represented GB/England on the road, cross country and mountains between 1983 -1996, including finishing 13th in the 1984 Olympic Marathon and 2nd in the 1985 London Marathon. 

After starting her career at the National Coaching Foundation, Sarah  was Technical Consultant to the English Institute of Sport during its early years.  She  is now a Partner at Wharton Consulting where she specialises in systems and people development, particularly in high performance sport, working with numerous national governing bodies and national sporting agencies.

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JOHN TAYLOR

 

Non-Executive Director

Qualifications:

BSc Eng. in Chemical Engineering and MSc in Computer Science, both gained at London University.

Role at UK Athletics:
Non-Executive Director, Chair of Remuneration Committee, Member of Audit Committee.

Other Commitments:

Chairman of Birmingham and Solihull Solutions Ltd, a public/private company developing primary health care facilities in the region. Non-Executive Director of two further local public/private companies developing health care facilities, Prima 200 Ltd in North Staffs and Dudley Infracare Ltd in Dudley. Non-Executive Director of South Birmingham PCT (NHS) Ltd.

Voluntary appointments:
Director and Trustee of Autism West Midlands Ltd, a charity supporting people on the autism spectrum and their families.

Career summary:
Worked for Cadbury Schweppes PLC where his roles included Managing Director of Trebor Bassett Group, Marketing Director of Cadbury Ltd, Managing Director of ITnet Ltd. He also worked in Corporate Strategy and M&A functions. Since retiring from Cadbury Schweppes has had a number of non-executive director and chairman roles.

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JASON GARDENER MBE

Non-Executive Director

Qualifications:

BSC Hons Media & Sociology at Bath Spa University (2003)

Role at UK Athletics
Non-Executive Director

Oversight of World Class Performance Programme and Athlete Performance Advisor.

Other Commitments:

Sports Consultant for Youth Sports Trust, Redbull and Board member of the British Athletes Commission

Occassional athletics presenter for Eurosport, Channel Four & BBC

Career summary:

Olympic Champion 4 x 100m 2004

World Champion Indoor 60m 2004

European Champion Indoor 60m 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007

Commonwealth Games Champion 4 x 100m 2002

GB Athletics Men's Team Captain and England Men's Team Captain Commonwealth Games 2002

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TERRY COLTON

Non-Executive Director

Qualifications:

B.Ed in Physical Education and Mathematics
M.Sc in Recreation Management
Both gained at Loughborough University of Technology.

Role at UK Athletics:

Non-Executive Director

Other Commitments:

Athletics Sport Manager, LONDON2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Responsible for the planning, organisation and management of athletics for both Games.

Career Summary:

Background in sport sponsorship and event management before joining the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, where he managed both the NIA and NEC Arenas for a number of years

During this 20-year period he also worked closely with Birmingham City Council colleagues to deliver a wide range of European and World championship events into Birmingham venues.

In 2003 he was Championship Director for the 9th IAAF World Indoor Championship in Athletics, regarded as one of the best events of its kind ever staged and in 2007 he was Chief Operating Officer for the 29th European Indoor Championships in Athletics, also praised as the best ever.