Athletic Ventures, the partnership between UK Athletics, The Great Run Company and London Marathon Events, is pleased to have completed recruitment to the Birmingham 2026 Stakeholder Board.
The Board, convened to support the build up to next year’s European Athletics Championships taking place at the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, comprises representatives of the key partners working to deliver the event as well as key independent members with close ties to the city and wider region.
Chairing the Board is Royston Hoggarth, a highly experienced West-Midlands-based Board Chair, who until recently was the Chair of England and GB Hockey. As former CEO or Chair to several public, privately owned and founder-originated businesses, his experience includes work in the banking, insurance and technology industries.
Joining him as independent board members are:
Amil Khan - Amil works in Public Affairs at the University of Birmingham and serves on several boards that support communities across the region. He is a Trustee of the Warwickshire Cricket Foundation, University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, and United by 2022, the official legacy charity of the Commonwealth Games.
Simon Kirkland - Simon has a broad experience in community sport having been a teacher, sport development officer and area manager in Birmingham, followed by the post of CEO of England Basketball. He is founder of a leading sport training provider, Sport Structures and has volunteered into many positions in community sport especially in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Urvasi Naidoo - Urvasi is a sports lawyer with extensive national and international event experience. She is currently Director of Legal and Governance at World Sailing and is also a Non-Executive Director at Surrey County Cricket Club. She is resident in the West Midlands and has a long-standing commitment to the development and growth of sports participation in Birmingham.
"Important Cog"
On behalf of Athletic Ventures, UK Athletics Chair Ian Beattie welcomed the Chair and independent Board Members to their role: “I am delighted that this very important cog in the championship delivery is up and running with such a strong Birmingham element represented.
"It is great to have Royston’s experience as a Chair of a high-profile Olympic sport leading the Board.
“Ensuring the maximum impact for Birmingham and the wider region is kept firmly in our focus will be a key output of this Stakeholder Board and I’m looking forward to working with these key partners over the next 18 months.”
Chair Royston Hoggarth said: “We are very excited to be holding the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham in 2026, the first time the UK has hosted the Euros since their inception in 1934.
"This ‘Stakeholder’ Board has been established to bring together the team from Athletic Ventures, London Marathon, Great North Run, along with UK Sport, European Athletics and Birmingham City Council.
“I would like to welcome Simon Kirkland, Unvasi Naidoo and Amil Khan to the Board as independent directors who will work with us to ensure the games promote and harness the very best Birmingham has to offer for the sport and the City,”
The complete Birmingham 2026 Stakeholder Board:
- Royston Hoggarth (Chair)
- Amil Khan (Independent)
- Simon Kirkland (Independent)
- Urvasi Naidoo (Independent)
- Ian Beattie (UK Athletics)
- Nick Bitel (London Marathon Events)
- Katie Brazier (Birmingham City Council)
- Christian Milz / Celia Mendes (European Athletics)
- Cat Orchard (West Midlands Combined Authority)
- Richard Watton (UK Sport)
- Eric Wilkins (Great Run Company)