SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Neil Hayward has been announced as the first chair of the Industry People Board for UK Racing, a new workforce directive established by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) and the Racing Foundation.
An expert in business transformation and HR planning for large-scale organisations, Hayward will lead UK Racing’s new dedicated unit charged with improving the workforce disciplines of recruitment, training, HR and retainment.
The Industry People Board was formed following the recommendations of the professional steering group made to the BHA and partners to transform and future-proof UK racing.
The Board has been established to serve as ‘the single point of accountability’ for UK Racing’s workforce development and HR strategy.
Taking charge of the body, Hayward will lead the development of horseracing’s first ‘industry workforce strategy’, to help stakeholders recruitment, HR standards, planning and to ensure employees’ concerns are voiced and heard.
The People Board will be funded by the HBLB and Racing Foundations, who deemed the body a key requirement as British racing employs a reported workforce of 20,000.
BHA Chief Executive, Julie Harrington, welcomed the appointment of Hayward as a proven expert with 25-years’ of experience having led corporate governance and executive teams at BT, the Post Office, NHS and the Ministry of Justice.
“I am excited to welcome an individual of the calibre of Neil Hayward to the position of Chair of the Industry People Board and would like to thank the Horserace Betting Levy Board and Racing Foundation for their initiation, involvement and funding of this important work.
“If we are to ensure that British racing has a bright and vibrant future, then it is imperative that we are attracting, training and retaining talented individuals across our industry, making sure that people can see opportunities for personal growth, development and progression within racing.”
Hayward outlined that UK racing would revamp its workforce strategy, adopting the modern values of equality, diversity and inclusion for its workforce management whilst ensuring the traditional principles of integrity and equine welfare.
“I’d like to thank the BHA and partners for the trust they are placing in me by appointing me as Chair,” Hayward stated. “I’m really looking forward to working with them and many others to make our new Industry People Board a success.”
