RaceTech Chairman Tom Phillips will stand down from the position on 30th September this year after six very successful years leading the organisation. Tom’s distinguished career with RaceTech extends to 15 years in all having initially joined as a non-executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee in 2006. In addition, he was part of a number of significant initiatives which have seen RaceTech develop and grow as a business.
Prior to joining RaceTech, Tom was already a leading figure in British horseracing having spent 14 years with the Tote as Finance Director and then Chief Operating Officer. After leaving this role in 2006 Tom was immediately recruited to the RaceTech board.
Under Tom’s leadership, RaceTech became the leading provider of outside broadcast and integrity services to British racecourses and currently have 100% coverage of the sport’s portfolio of venues. RaceTech also provide stalls handling, photo finish and PA services to many racecourses across the country.
Further initiatives to have been progressed as part of Tom’s tenure as Chairman include offering full HD broadcast services as standard and celebrating the 70th anniversary of RaceTech in 2016, a landmark moment for an organisation which has constantly been at the cutting edge of innovation. RaceTech now provide cameras to cover ITV Racing’s secondary broadcast sites on days of busy racing and developed a new remote stewarding operation to offer an innovative solution to what is one of the sport’s most traditional roles.
RaceTech has played a significant role in British racing for many years and has been owned by the Racecourse Association (RCA) since 1997. The RCA would like to place on record its thanks to Tom Phillips for his many years of outstanding service to RaceTech, including six as Chairman. Tom will remain involved with the organisation as Chairman of the RCA Pension Scheme Trustees.
Bevan Gibson has been confirmed as the new Chairman of RaceTech and will resume the role on from October 2021.
A non-executive Director with RaceTech since 2016, Bevan is a global leader in the field of outside and remote broadcast positioning him well to assume the Chairmanship . Bevan’s career has seen him undertake senior roles with a number of globally prestigious technology and broadcast organisations including Sky, ITN and currently EuroMediaGroup.
Whilst at Sky, Bevan undertook a strategic review of all operational & commercial procedures at Sky Creative, thus transforming how much of this area of the business was run. Latterly at ITN, Bevan played a key part in developing their portfolio of sport business and unlocking previously unattainable markets.
Tom Phillips commented “It has been such a privilege being Chairman of RaceTech. We have achieved much as a team these past years and I’ve enjoyed working with such talented and professional colleagues. I wish everyone at RaceTech well under the future leadership of Bevan. He is someone I’ve worked closely with these past 5 years and I have no doubt RaceTech will continue to thrive under his leadership.”
Bevan Gibson commented “I’m delighted to be taking up this position of Chairman following Tom’s superb leadership of RaceTech. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be leading such a prestigious organisation within the racing industry, and I’m very much looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead”.
Maggie Carver, Chairman of the RCA, commented “I am extremely grateful for Tom’s outstanding contribution to RaceTech and British racing. It was under Tom’s stewardship that RaceTech saw exponential growth, including securing the contract to offer outside broadcast facilities for all British racecourses.
“I am pleased to see such an exceptional candidate as Bevan Gibson named as the new Chairman of RaceTech. Bevan’s outstanding reputation and knowledge in this sector will be invaluable as we look to navigate the way out of the pandemic and capitalise on significant growth and innovation within the organisation over the past few years.”
