The Jockey Club has today announced that its Group Chief Executive, Nevin Truesdale, has asked the Board of Stewards to start the process of finding his successor. It is anticipated that Truesdale will step down from his role at the end of 2024.
Truesdale has guided The Jockey Club through the unprecedented impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis while delivering a period of significant business transformation and cultural change. He has recently led the development of a new long-term strategy to make the business even more efficient and set up for future sustainable growth.
Truesdale, who joined The Jockey Club in 2013, believes that a planned transition will give new leadership the strategic options to build on this success and take the organisation on to the next phase of its development. He will stay in post to lead the business in the coming months and work with the Board of Stewards and Executive team to manage the transition to his successor.
Under Truesdale’s leadership The Jockey Club has seen growth across all revenue lines, expanded its customer base and digital platforms, attracted new commercial partners to the sport and delivered 18% growth in media rights revenues. Over the last four years The Jockey Club has invested over £2m in horse welfare, including recent changes to the Randox Grand National, seen prize money contributions exceed £30m for the first time and invested over £25m in facilities and infrastructure for customers and participants.
He played a key role in leading the petition to Parliament against betting affordability checks, which gained over 100,000 signatures and led to a debate on this matter. He played a similarly proactive and leading role in facing down the threat of illegal protest groups in 2023. The Jockey Club has also helped open racing up further to newer, younger and more diverse audiences working with various external organisations to achieve this.
Sandy Dudgeon, Senior Steward of The Jockey Club, said: “Over the last decade Nevin has made an outstanding contribution to The Jockey Club and horseracing, not just in his time as CEO but also as Chief Financial Officer before that. Nevin took over the role of Chief Executive at an extremely challenging and unprecedented time both for the business and the whole racing industry and steered us successfully out of the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and 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. He 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.
“By putting in place an orderly transition, we will ensure a smooth handover to new leadership and 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.”
Nevin Truesdale, CEO of The Jockey Club, said: “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 organisation over the past 11 years.
“Its achievements are down to the world class people at its heart, without doubt the strongest team the business has ever had. Together we have faced some of the most significant challenges imaginable over the last four years, but our people have remained steadfast in their commitment to help build a thriving sport for the benefit of all.
“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. I will miss it immensely when the time comes to leave but until that point, I am absolutely focused on continuing to lead and deliver on our priorities."
