BHA chair to leave position in May be replaced by Joe Saumarez Smith
Annamarie Phelps to step down from authority’s board as she praises Covid-19 management strategy and promises to establish new governance structure
British Horseracing Authority (BHA) chair Annamarie Phelps is set to step down from the position when her term concludes at the end of May 2022.
Phelps confirmed she would not be seeking a second term in the role and will be replaced by current independent non-executive director Joe Saumarez Smith.
Saumarez Smith’s term on the BHA board ends in September 2023 and he will assume the position of chair from Phelps’ departure until then.
Speaking on her decision to step down, Phelps said there was still work to be done before May which she hopes will lay the framework for a more “appropriate, democratic and effective decision-making structure” at the BHA moving forwards.
Phelps said: “Following discussions with the board of the BHA, I have decided not to extend my time as BHA chair beyond the end of the current term.
“It has been a great privilege to lead the BHA during this challenging period for the sports sector, and to have recruited a fantastic CEO in Julie Harrington. I am immensely proud of what racing has achieved collectively in this time,” she added.
Phelps said the ongoing work to develop a new governance structure would continue throughout the rest of her tenure and that the body would take on the additional responsibility of leading the strategy for industry growth on behalf of our shareholders.
Phelps also praised the BHA for its work during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure the sustainability of horseracing.
She added: “I want to thank the amazing BHA team for navigating the pandemic and for keeping the show on the road behind the scenes, a role that is rarely acknowledged.
“It is a remarkable achievement that no fixtures were lost to Covid once British racing had become the first major sport to resume following the initial 2020 lockdown.”
Saumarez Smith commented: “On behalf of the BHA board, I would like to express my thanks to Annamarie, who has brought a broad perspective from other sports to the BHA.
“During her time as chair, she has laid the groundwork for significant change across the industry in a number of areas, and helped us navigate a series of challenging issues,” he added.