BHA seeks ‘next generation leader’ as search begins for Julie Harrington’s successor

The BHA said it was seeking a “next generation leader” and had begun recruiting a successor to chief executive Julie Harrington.

Harrington announced in June that she would be stepping down at the end of the year after four years at the helm of British racing’s governing body. She said it was “the right time” for her to leave.

The BHA is also looking for a successor to take over from Joe Saumarez Smith as chairman in May. The successful candidate will have a say in selecting a new CEO.

The BHA’s announcement for the CEO position said the agency would be responsible for leading the development of strategy for the British racing industry, including commercial matters.

It added: “This is a new dimension of the organisation and the person in this role will need to be able to think commercially as well as manage all regulatory and government affairs.”

The BHA said it was looking for a “next generation leader” to take the organisation forward, ensure racing is a sport for everyone and help it grow and prosper into the future.

“Julie has led significant changes to the BHA, which has seen the role evolve recently to include responsibility for setting the long-term industry strategy for horse racing; the BHA is no longer just a regulator, but also plays a role in the commercial success of the sport.”

The advert also outlined other responsibilities for the new CEO, including being a “voice on the global racing scene” as well as “maintaining good relationships with betting operators”.

The BHA said the international racing market brings “huge commercial benefits” to the sport and that the successful candidate will need to demonstrate experience of building relationships in international markets to “deepen the BHA’s links around the world and represent the UK in the sport”.

It added: “The BHA now has a unique opportunity to hire a CEO who has a deep understanding of what it takes to lead and implement long-term, sustainable transformations in an organisation – how to deliver them, how to embed them, the role of culture and, perhaps most importantly, how to pace them.

“The appointed candidate will therefore be a proven senior leader, with experience in leading complex stakeholder environments, with the ability to influence external stakeholders such as government, while representing the BHA in a consumer-facing environment.”

Recruitment firm MBS Group, which was also involved in the search for Saumarez Smith’s successor, is advising the BHA on the job. Applications close on 11 September.

It is understood that a number of political candidates have been told that they have failed their interviews for the position of BHA president, including the highly regarded former president of the National Farmers Union, Minette Batters.

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