Key points:
- Alan Switzer has been appointed as CFO after serving in an interim capacity since August 2024
- He has led more than 50 horseracing and sports betting projects throughout his career
- Switzer was previously seconded to Sport England, where he helped establish and manage the UK Government’s Sports Survival Fund
Alan Switzer has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).
He has served as interim CFO since August 2024 and has worked with the BHA for many years prior.
Switzer has over 25 years of experience with Deloitte as a member of the senior leadership team in the company’s Sports Business Group.
On his appointment, Switzer said: “I’m delighted to be appointed to the Chief Financial Officer role. I have worked with the BHA and British racing throughout my career, and have huge admiration for the knowledge, experience and passion that exists across the organisation and wider racing industry.
“British racing’s financial challenges are well documented, with the sport facing significant headwinds and not always best served by the fragmented and complex nature of our funding model.
“But these problems are far from insurmountable, especially if we can commit to working collectively in the long-term interests of the sport. As someone who wants to see racing not only survive, but thrive, I look forward to playing my part to support the sport we all love.”
Good to know: Switzer was previously seconded to Sport England, where he oversaw the launch and subsequently managed the UK Government’s Sports Survival Fund. This was established to provide up to £600m ($758.6m) in relief to sports competitions during the pandemic
Julie Harrington, BHA CEO, said: “Alan has worked closely with the BHA Board, Executive and senior leaders from across the industry over several years – and has been immersed in the funding, governance, structures and operating models of British racing for almost the entirety of his career.
“He is widely respected and brings a wealth of commercial experience from across racing and the sporting sector more generally. His ability to build strong relationships, coupled with a proven track record of success, will continue to be a significant asset.
“Not only will Alan seek to ensure that the BHA remains on a sound financial footing so that it can continue to provide good value and high-quality services for participants, but he will also lead cross-industry efforts to look at our income and funding models and how we can make better use of resources. This will be crucial as we work to secure a more sustainable financial future for British racing.”
This comes immediately after the BHA announced Lord Allen of Kensington as the new Chair of the authority.
