Rod Street to step down as CEO of Great British Racing Limited
Street will leave at the end of April.
UK.- The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has announced that Rod Street will step down as CEO of Great British Racing Limited (GBR) at the end of April. He has led the promotion and marketing of British horse racing for 12 years.
Street has confirmed that he will remain involved in racing, with plans to launch a coaching and mentoring venture. He will remain CEO of the British Champions Series Limited, a post he has occupied since 2011, until later in the year.
He called on racing stakeholders to work together to address declines in revenue. He said: “Racing is not alone – most sports outside football face precisely the same challenge – and we are competing for customers’ attention in a fiercely competitive environment. The principle of leading with our best quality products through Premier Racing is the right one. I remain optimistic for the sport because we have history, heritage, and a level of coverage that other sports would die for.”
Julie Harrington, chief Executive of the BHA, said: “In all, Rod has worked in racing for over 30 years so far and his contribution has been vast, both in terms of his professional achievements and through the positive influence of his trademark optimism and vivacity.
“We are sincerely sorry to lose him but respect his decision and on behalf of racing’s stakeholders, thank him for all he has done, including the energy and passion he has brought to every task. Rod has made a big difference to how racing is promoted, compared to when he joined GBR in 2010. I’m sure we will continue to see lots of him in the future.”
GBR Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Horseracing Authority, owned 50/50 by the Racecourse Association and the Thoroughbred Group.
In January, the BHA announced the creation of a Joint Cooperation Committee to forge collaboration between the British, Irish and Japanese horse racing regulators. It will work with Horse Racing Ireland and Japan Racing Association (JRA) to promote Japanese horses and ease travel connections. The committee also aims to raise awareness of each country’s industry and promote the “further internationalising” of horse racing.
