Board of Directors
Subject to the Articles and the Act, the board of directors are responsible for the management of the Company’s business and affairs for which purpose they may exercise all the powers of the Company.
Board members
Gary Shaughnessy CBE: Chair of the Board
Member of Nominations and Remuneration Committee | Member of Remuneration Committee
Gary is an active member of Tadley Runners and a registered athlete with England Athletics. Over the last 35 years, he has held senior roles in financial services, culminating in being the CEO of EMEA for Zurich Insurance and a member of the company’s Group Executive until 2019.
Gary was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2015. In 2019, when he stepped back from full time commercial life, Gary took on the roles of chair at Parkinson’s UK, senior adviser to the Zurich Group and chair of the Z Zurich Foundation, a global charitable trust. Both charities have developed major sport and exercise centred programmes to support physical and mental well-being.
Gary has completed over 50 marathons and has a strong background in community sport. He has also enjoyed over a quarter of a century with Whitchurch United Football Club, as a player, chair, youth team manager and now president. In 2023, Gary was awarded a CBE for his services to business and charity in the King’s first Birthday Honours List.
Tunji Akintokun MBE: Non-Executive Director
Senior Independent Director | Member of Audit & Assurance Committee
Tunji has worked in global technology and professional services organisations for over 40 years and is currently a Non-Executive Director at Pathos Communications plc. He has previously held senior leadership positions at LinkedIn, PwC and Cisco.
He was a founding trustee of England Athletics’ Personal Best Foundation, a charity that helps children and young people underserved and underrepresented groups achieve their personal best on the track, at school and in life. Tunji has also worked in a volunteer capacity on the councils of Teach First, techUK and Grant Thornton.
He supports his passions of sport, inclusion, STEM, the Arts and social mobility through his Ilesha Charitable Trust providing opportunities to individuals, charities and organisations. A former top junior athlete, he was a torchbearer at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio and has run two London Marathons (2014 & 2017) raising over £7,000 for AbleChildAfrica.
Chris Jones: CEO
Member of Governance Committee
Chris joined England Athletics in 2006 as Regional Manager in the East of England and prior to becoming Chief Executive in 2012 he served as the company`s Head of Strategy from 2008. He is also a trustee with the England Athletics charity Personal Best Foundation.
He has previously worked for Sport England as a Senior Development Manager, in local government sports and leisure management, and in school sport and education. He has also served as a volunteer trustee and Non-Executive director for several sports organisations including Welsh Rowing, the Cambridgeshire County Cricket Board, and currently the sector wide NGB Coalition Management Board, and the Sport & Recreation Alliance.
He is an active volunteer in community sport, has coached at his local rugby club and at county level, has played rugby at club, county, and regional level. He has also played County Cricket at senior level, is a full member of the MCC, and is currently captain of his county masters age group team.
He is passionate about the power of sport, but particularly athletics and running, in positively impacting the physical and mental wellbeing of the nation.
Lorna Boothe MBE, OLY: Elected Director
Member of Nominations and Remuneration Committee | Board Diversity Lead
Lorna is a double Olympian and Commonwealth Gold and silver medallist in the 100m hurdles and former British record holder. She was a GB Team Manager for a number of years that included the Sydney Olympics. Lorna has supported GB U20s and U23s as team coach for sprints, hurdles and relays as well as for England Athletics in Commonwealth Games 2014 and 2018.
Lorna a former banker in UK and USA has also worked in Grants Management. She worked for the IAAF (World Athletics) setting up the international grants programme and was part of the IAAF Coaching Academy Management Team. Whilst working with Sport England, she was a member of the management team that set up the Lottery Funded World Class Performance Programme. As a member of English Sports Council Racial Equality Advisory Group, she worked with the Commission for Racial Equality to set up the now high profiled Sporting Equals programme.
Lorna who worked closely with Lloyd Cowan MBE deceased is an initiator of the Lloyd Cowan Bursary and is a Life member of Sutton & District Athletics Club.
Jim Buckle: Non-Executive Director
Member of Audit & Assurance Committee
Jim is currently Chief Financial Officer of recipe kit business, Gousto. Since qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in 1991, Jim has spent the majority of his career in senior finance and general management roles at consumer-orientated businesses, ranging from large corporates such as the BBC and Dell Computers to earlier stage businesses such as LOVEFiLM, Wiggle, Feelunique and Gousto.
Jim has been a recreational runner for over 40 years, taking part in events ranging from 200m to marathons and is a qualified Leader in Running Fitness. Jim became involved in club athletics in 2016 when his children joined St Mary’s Richmond AC, firstly as a parent, then as competitor and subsequently as club Treasurer and cross country team manager. Aside from athletics, Jim is a lifelong supporter of Grimsby Town Football Club.
Matthew Dalton: Non-Executive Director
England Council nominated Director | Chair of England Council | Chair of East Regional Council | Member of Governance Committee | Member of Nominations and Remuneration Committee
Matthew is an Honorary Life Member and Trustee of Peterborough and Nene Valley AC and held several committee positions at (the predecessor club) Peterborough AC since joining in 2006. He was Chairman of the club from 2013 to 2018, being the youngest ever incumbent of the position. Matthew is a qualified coach, field judge (L2) and timekeeper (L4). As a Masters athlete, he has competed at a local, regional, national and international level – medalling at the World Masters in Australia in 2016.
Away from our sport, over the last two decades, Matthew has held numerous volunteer positions including being an elected member of Peterborough City Council for 10 years, during which time he served as a Cabinet Member under three separate Leaders. Since leaving the city council, Matthew has been a trustee in a local culture and leisure trust and a board member at the Agricultural Industries Confederation.
As his day job, Matthew is Managing Director of Dalton Seeds, the largest family-owned business of its type in the country.
Connie Henry MBE: Non-Executive Director
Member of Nominations and Remuneration Committee
Connie Henry has outstanding leadership skills and has spent over 15 years developing her brand using the skill set and values crafted during her days as an international medal-winning athlete.
Working on boards for over a decade Connie has created exciting initiatives and driven them home to conclusion. As a successful charity founder and CEO, Connie brings leadership skills and a unique perspective to identifying opportunities and managing risk.
Connie was awarded and honour doctorate in education by Brunel University in 2026 and also sits on the board of a National Housing Association.
Janyce Holmes: Non-Executive Director
Chair of Audit and Assurance Committee | Chair of Nominations and Remuneration Committee | Member of Governance Committee | Board Sustainability Lead | Board Clean Sport Lead
Janyce is an experienced business director with a background of over 35 years in international commercial organisations, education, and professional services. She currently holds three independent non-executive director roles.
Alongside her professional career, Janyce has been active volunteering in grassroots youth sport development (hockey). She is a keen recreational runner and has participated regularly in Parkrun for several years. Since joining EA, she has been inspired to take on 10ks and a couple of half marathons.
Janyce has a strong interest in ensuring that the benefits of sport and physical activity become more accessible for all throughout their lives, whatever their circumstances. It is also important to her that we adapt and evolve the sector to be sustainable for the future.
Adrian Day: Non-Executive Director
England Council nominated Director | Chair of London Regional Council
Adrian is a ranking masters sprinter, competing at World and European championships in both individual and relay events. He is a Coach at London Heathside, a Leader in Running Fitness and member of Vets AC.
A qualified Non-Executive Director, Adrian has held leadership and consulting in roles in several London brand, marketing and communications agencies. He is now an independent consultant advising organisations on their brand and communications strategy and mentoring leaders of creative firms to develop and grow their business.
Helen Kendall: Non-Executive Director
Chair of Governance Committee | Member of Audit & Assurance Committee
Helen is an experienced finance professional bringing a wealth of knowledge from the corporate world across numerous sectors. She has experience in running large multi-site businesses requiring a fast pace of change, commercial focus and putting people at the heart of delivery.
Helen is passionate about the benefits of living an active life and is a Trustee for Yorkshire Sport Foundation, a charity that supports promoting physical activity across Yorkshire. She believes sport should be accessible for all. She is a keen recreational runner, participating in events from 5k to half marathon.
Clive Poyner: Elected Director
Member of Audit & Assurance Committee
Clive is currently the Chair of Athletics Norfolk, Norfolk Sportshall and the Eastern Young Athletes League, a Level 2 Performance coach in jumps and throws, a Level 2 timekeeper and track judge and a Level 1 starter. Previously, he was Chair of City of Norwich AC for 6 years, and a member of the East Region Council for 8 years, the last two years as Chair.
His commitment to the sport started way back in the 70s as an athlete with Halesowen ACC and then with Bromsgrove & Redditch AC; he is still part of their record holding 4×400 squad. In 1997 his career found him moving to Norwich. On arrival he helped set up Reepham Runners and ran a number of Great North Runs before focusing on volunteering with City of Norwich AC.
Clive’s career in manufacturing engineering accelerated rapidly with 25 years’ Board experience of which 11 were as Managing Director. In that time, he built a factory in China and provided engineering projects for Disney, Cirque, Crossrail, Rolls Royce and Take That to name but a few. Now retired and focusing even more on the sport he loves, his mantras are: no surprises, process, find a way, empathy, inclusive, quality and safety.
Gabriel Akin-Odujobi: Board Observer
Gabriel is a former international athlete who represented England in the 110m hurdles and is now Director of Official Partner, a commercial strategy consultancy helping organisations use sport and entertainment to grow audiences and commercial revenue.
He has over a decade of international commercial leadership experience across sport, technology and media. Previously, Gabriel led global partnership sales at Chelsea FC, developing and securing major partnerships with global brands.
He is also Director of Commercial Partnerships at Crux Football, building partnerships that create measurable, lasting commercial value for clubs and partners while enhancing the fan experience. Beyond his professional work, Gabriel also mentors former athletes transitioning into new careers.
Jon Mulkeen: Board Observer
Jon Mulkeen works in communications for World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport, leading on digital editorial content and helping to shape how the sport is presented to global audiences. He has two decades of experience working in athletics media and communications, with a particular interest in storytelling, statistics, digital strategy and engaging new audiences with the sport.
Jon has covered major international championships around the world and works closely with athletes, event organisers and national federations. He is passionate about the role athletics and running can play in bringing communities together and inspiring participation at all levels.
You can download Board Meeting outcome documents for each Board meeting below. Board Meeting outcomes documents are uploaded to the website once the minutes from that meeting have been approved at the subsequent Board meeting.