British Horseracing Authority Names Simon Cox as New Chair
The British Horseracing Authority has turned to an industry insider with decades of boardroom experience as it prepares for one of the most difficult periods British racing has faced in years.
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Simon Cox will become the BHA’s new independent non-executive chair on 1 October, taking on an initial three-year term at a time when the sport is grappling with higher gambling taxes, regulatory changes and mounting financial pressure.
His appointment brings together two very different careers. Cox has spent more than 15 years breeding and owning racehorses, including managing more than 10 broodmares at Shade Oak Stud, while also building a long corporate career in the global drinks industry. As European president and CEO of Molson Coors, he oversaw a business generating around £2 billion in annual turnover and employing roughly 6,500 people.
Racing Faces a Financial Squeeze
The leadership change comes as British racing is trying to protect its finances from policy shifts that the industry believes could reshape the sport.
The BHA has repeatedly warned that the UK government’s decision to increase the Remote Gaming Duty from 21% to 40%, introduced in April, could remove an estimated £330 million from racing over its first five years. Internal projections also suggest as many as 2,752 jobs could disappear during the first year of the higher tax regime.
Cox has indicated that rebuilding participation, expanding racing’s customer base and strengthening revenue streams will be among his immediate priorities. His approach centres on encouraging greater cooperation across the industry as it navigates those challenges.
The appointment committee viewed his combination of commercial leadership and racing experience as well suited to the current moment. Beyond his breeding interests, Cox has served as a trustee of the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association since 2021, chaired the BHA’s Jump Pattern Committee and contributed to the High Quality Horse group, which focuses on improving the standard of British breeding and racing.
Stepping Away From Existing Roles
To avoid conflicts of interest, Cox will resign from his position with the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association before joining the BHA board. He will also leave his roles on the Jump Pattern Committee and the High Quality Horse group, reinforcing the authority’s emphasis on independent governance.
His selection followed a recruitment process involving independent members alongside representatives from the Racecourse Association, the Racehorse Owners Association and the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association.
Industry bodies have broadly welcomed the decision, viewing it as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and sharpen the sport’s commercial direction.
Regulatory Battle Continues
Cox also inherits an organisation locked in an ongoing dispute over gambling regulation.
The BHA has been one of the strongest critics of the UK Gambling Commission’s Financial Risk Assessments, which are being introduced to identify customers displaying high levels of gambling expenditure. Under the initial rollout, customers making net deposits above £5,000 within a rolling 24-hour period may be subject to credit checks.
BHA chief executive Brant Dunshea has argued that the policy risks driving bettors away from licensed operators while placing unnecessary barriers in front of racing customers. The authority also disputes the Commission’s view that the checks will operate without disrupting the customer experience, maintaining that early testing has already exposed practical difficulties.
For Cox, those debates will quickly become part of the job. His first months in office will coincide with an industry attempting to defend its funding model while adapting to a regulatory landscape that continues to shift.
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Source: igamingbusiness.com
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