Tom Byrne has been appointed head of racing and betting for the British Racing Authority, a modified role replacing head of races and tracks. That position was previously held by Paul Johnson, who began serving as chief executive officer of the National Coaches League in January.
Byrne joins BHA after four years with Horserace Betting Levy’s Operations Board. He has previously held roles with GBI Racing and Racing Post. He will commence this role in February and oversee the management and development of BHA’s racing division including production and development of schedule lists and racing programs, and will be in touch with the betting industry to support the growth of betting on races in the UK.
Richard Wayman, chief executive officer of the BHA, said, “This is a very competitive hiring process and Tom has been appointed from an impressive pool of applicants. Tom is a great addition to the BHA team. As part of his role at HBLB, he was heavily involved in matters related to their race schedule and program, and funding. As a result, he has a deep understanding of these areas as well as strong relationships with many of the race’s stakeholders, with whom he will continue to work closely. While we want to continue to grow our roster of schedules and race programs to ensure that our horses have the opportunity to reach their full potential, we want to make sure that the race can attract customers and investors. Tom’s good relationship with the betting industry will also be an asset, with betting liaisons now becoming an important part of the job. I am delighted to welcome Tom to BHA and look forward to working with him. ”
Byrne added, “Being involved in the BHA as part of such a talented and experienced team is an opportunity and challenge that I am delighted to offer. I am passionate about British racing and look forward to working with my new colleagues and stakeholders in the sport to deliver an environment that creates competitive and exciting horse racing, which is very important. important to our long-term growth and sustainability. It has been an honor to work for the Levy Board and I would like to thank Alan Delmonte and the HBLB team for all their support, encouragement, and guidance. I am delighted that we will continue to work closely together in my new role. ”
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