BHA chief Nick Rust to step down
Former Ladbrokes MD will stay with the horseracing body until the end of 2020
British Horseracing Authority (BHA) chief executive Nick Rust will leave his post at the end of 2020 after more than five years in the top job.
Rust joined the BHA in 2015 after a four-year spell at Ladbrokes, where he was managing director of retail between 2013 and 2014.
He informed BHA staff on 14 January of his intention to leave, making the decision after a period of reflection following the death of his wife in November 2018.
.@StarSports_Bet are very sad to hear of the departure of Nick Rust from @BHAPressOffice but as we prepare our odds for his replacement…who is your choice? We are offering a free £75 (for 75 High Holborn) bet for the first person to guess the next King of Racing right..!
— Ben Keith (@BenStarSports) January 14, 2020
“I’ve spent much of the past year reflecting on my situation after my personal bereavement at the end of 2018,” said Rust.
“I wanted to let you and the BHA know my decision and plans well ahead of leaving to allow plenty of time for a successor to be identified and appointed
“This is a fantastic job leading a team of passionate, hard-working people who want racing to have a prosperous and sustainable future as a clean, fair sport that looks after its horses and its people.
“You demonstrated that visibly with all the effort you put in to resolve the equine flu problems last year, but I know how much more unseen work is going on across the BHA to progress our sport.
“I am hugely proud of what you do for British racing and thank you all,” he added.
During his time at the BHA, the UK government reformed the sport’s levy system so that all operators paid 10% of gross profits above a £500,000 threshold back into the racing industry.
The recruitment process for Rust’s successor is not yet underway, EGR Intel understands.