Simon Bazalgette – Group Chief Executive Officer
Simon Bazalgette is responsible for the strategic direction and running of The Jockey Club as the leading commercial group in British horseracing – a role he has held since September 2008.
As Group Chief Executive, Simon is responsible for overseeing the maximum commercial return from the group’s assets, for reinvestment back into the sport. He leads The Jockey Club’s involvement in all major industry matters, from the funding to the marketing of British racing, while developing relationships with key figures inside and outside the sport.
Simon is also Chairman of Jockey Club Racecourses. Previously, he was the founding Executive Chairman of media operator Racecourse Media Group and formerly Chief Executive of the Sony, Time Warner and BSkyB digital broadcasting venture, Music Choice Europe. He started his professional life at KPMG.
In 2011, Simon featured as racing’s highest ranking executive in The Times Sport Power 100.
Other appointments currently include:
Non-executive Chairman and Trustee, The Grubb Institute
Non-executive Board Director, Racing for Change
Non-executive Board Director, British Champions Series Limited
Non-executive Board Director, Racing Enterprises Limited
Non-executive Board Director, Racecourse Association
Non-executive Board Director, Racecourse Media Group
Non-executive Board Director, GBI Racing
Andrew Crean – Group Finance Director
Andrew Crean is responsible for all aspects of The Jockey Club group’s financial planning, reporting and control; working with its banking partners; and contributing to strategic decision-making.
Andrew joined in September 2010, after 10 years with Compass Group plc, where he was Finance & Commercial Director of its £300m turnover Sport Leisure & Hospitality Division. Previously Andrew was Executive Director of Compass Group plc’s Business & Industry Division and formerly Finance Director of its Business, Industry & Leisure Division.
He joined Compass Group plc as part of merger with Granada Group plc, where he worked for seven years as a Financial Accountant, Financial Controller and latterly Finance Director.
Andrew has extensive knowledge of the UK service sector and multi-site businesses. In recent years, he has played key roles in ventures with Jockey Club Racecourses, the RFU, The Brit Oval, ExCel London and Aviva Stadium Dublin.
Scott Bowers – Group Director of Communications
Scott Bowers is responsible for strategic communications across The Jockey Club group.
He joined in May 2010 from leading the sports practice at the world's largest PR agency, Weber Shandwick where his clients included Sochi 2014, Russia's successful bid to host its first ever Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games; the Sochi 2014 Olympic Organizing Committee; MasterCard and its international football, rugby and golf sponsorships; launching the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup bid; and London Wasps Rugby Club and its main sponsor, EMC.
Scott has also advised the De Beers Group of Companies, including the Diamond Trading Company and Diamdel; L'Oréal; Royal Philips Electronics; Pernod Ricard UK; Eli Lilly; FC Shakhtar Donetsk; the European Investment Bank; Dresdner Kleinwort; Merrill Lynch; Royal Bank of Scotland; and General Motors Acceptance Corporation.
In 2008, PR Week identified Scott as a "fast rising star" of the PR industry. Today, he features in the PR Week Power Book as one of the most influential PR professionals in the UK.
Christopher Foster – Keeper of the Match Book
Christopher Foster provides a range of services overseeing the administration of the Club function of The Jockey Club, as Keeper of the Match Book and one of the most experienced professionals working in British horseracing today.
Christopher is also a non-executive director of The National Stud, where he plays an active role overseeing its education and training activity, chairing its Training Review Group and preparing applications for education grants. He is also a non-executive director of Wincanton Racecourse and of the charities, Retraining of Racehorses and the Home of the Horseracing Trust.
Christopher retired as Executive Director of The Jockey Club in 2006, following a 30-year career in the regulation of British horseracing when this role was the responsibility of The Jockey Club, prior to the formation of the British Horseracing Authority. Between 2000 and 2008, he was Vice-Chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), responsible for regulatory matters and was a member of its Executive Council. Previously, Christopher was Chairman of both the European Pattern Committee and the European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee for ten year periods. A chartered accountant by profession, he worked for Weatherbys for 18 years.
Paul Fisher – Group Managing Director, Jockey Club Racecourses
Paul Fisher is responsible for the performance of the largest racecourse group in the UK, while contributing to the executive management and business strategy of The Jockey Club group.
All Managing Directors and General Managers across The Jockey Club’s racecourse portfolio and the Group’s Human Resources department report to Paul.
Paul joined Jockey Club Racecourses in 2000 as Finance Director of its three London racecourses. He was promoted to Managing Director of Kempton Park in 2005. In 2008, he was appointed as Chief Operating Officer of Jockey Club Racecourses.
In 2010, Paul went 'back to the floor' as the Undercover Boss for an episode of Channel 4's hit television documentary series.
William Gittus – Managing Director, Jockey Club Estates
William Gittus is Managing Director of Jockey Club Estates, which includes the public training grounds at Newmarket and Lambourn, the Jockey Club Rooms, Newmarket Equine Disposal Scheme and a substantial property portfolio. William has worked in this role since March 2006 and prior to that was a partner in the Rural Division of Bidwells Property Consultants, specialising in estate management and rural development projects.
From an East Anglian farming family, William studied Agricultural Business Management at Wye College University of London after which he served as an officer in the Gurkhas based in Hong Kong, Brunei and the Falkland Islands. He left the Army in 1993 and was a professional Master of Hounds and Kennel Huntsman to Newmarket Beagles before training as a surveyor in 1997.
William is a very keen country sportsman, but knew little about the racing industry before joining Jockey Club Estates. Since, he has learnt to race-ride, achieving fourth place in the historic Newmarket Town Plate race in 2011. Today, he rides out for a Newmarket yard at least once a week.
Brian O’Rourke – Managing Director, The National Stud
Brian O’Rourke is responsible for the management and performance of The National Stud in Newmarket, The Jockey Club’s breeding and education arm.
All departments at the Stud report to Brian and he leads a team of 40 people who are employed in a variety of departments: Stud Administration, Accounts, Training, Marketing, Public Access and practical stud work.
Brian joined The National Stud in October 2008 after working extensively in the Thoroughbred breeding industries of Ireland and the USA.
Cedric Burton OBE – Chief Executive, Racing Welfare
Cedric Burton has been Chief Executive of The Jockey Club’s charity, Racing Welfare since March 2004. The charity works to provide help to anyone who is in need who works in racing or thoroughbred breeding, irrespective of occupation. Over the past six years he has overseen the development of the charity and its services. In particular the increased emphasis on promoting independence, support for young people and the growth in the number of people helped.
Prior to joining Racing Welfare, he served 34 years in the Army in a variety of posts and locations, concluding his service as the Director of Manning, responsible for terms of service and the development and execution of employment policy. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management and the British Computer Society; a Chartered IT Professional and has a post graduate diploma in Rural Estate Management.
Besides racing, his interests include shooting and sporting art. He holds a number of non-executive and charitable appointments and is particularly interested in initiatives to sustain and develop the rural economy and in particular the provision of affordable rural housing.