Our 2021 Judges

Philip Bernie

Head of BBC TV Sport

Philip Bernie
Head of BBC TV Sport

Philip Bernie is the Head of BBC TV Sport – responsible for all TV Sport output on the BBC.

Philip joined the BBC in 1984 as a Production Trainee after leaving university. He became an Assistant Producer on Grandstand, later becoming Editor of Football Focus and then Match Of The Day. He has also been Assistant Editor and then Editor of Grandstand.

He was Editor of Sports Personality Of The Year from 1999 to 2005, during which time he won a Royal Television Society Award for the show.

He was Editor on the Olympic Games from 1992 to 2004, and on the Commonwealth Games from 1994 to 2002.

He was Editor of the World Cup in 1990 and 1994 as well as Euro 96, and was Executive Producer of the World Cup in 2002.

He was Editor of Wimbledon from 2003 to 2007 and founding Editor of both the BBC One series On Side and the BBC Two series Match Of The Day 2.

Prior to his current role, Philip was Head of Programmes and Planning in BBC TV Sport from 2005 to 2007 and then Head of TV Sport Editorial from 2007 to 2009.

Before joining TV Sport in 1987, Philip worked in various areas of the BBC including spending a year in Radio Sport and a year at the Breakfast Time TV programme.
Nick Bitel

CEO, London Marathon

Nick Bitel
CEO, London Marathon

Nick Bitel has been the Chief Executive of the London Marathon Events since July 1995 which, as well as staging the iconic London Marathon, also puts on the world’s largest cycling festival, RideLondon.

Since 2013 Nick has also been the Chair of Sport England and continues to act as consultant at Armstrong Teasdale.

As a lawyer, he has represented a number of leading sports events and organisations including The Wimbledon Championships, Ryder Cup, PGA European Tour, UEFA, Rugby Football Union and the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Nick is also currently a Board Member of UK Sport and was previously a Board Member of the London Legacy Development Corporation.

He is a previous Chair of the Sports Rights Owners Coalition and of the British Association for Sport and Law.
Paul Blanchard

CEO - Commonwealth Games England

Paul Blanchard
CEO - Commonwealth Games England

Paul Blanchard is the Chief Executive of Commonwealth Games England, the organisation responsible for leading and managing the participation of Team England at the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games. The next Commonwealth Games in 2022 will be hosted in Birmingham.

With a career spanning more than 25 years in the sports industry, Paul has extensive experience of working for some of the country’s best known organisations, including the Scottish Premier League, the NFL, Southampton FC, Harlequins Rugby League and The Oval. Prior to joining Commonwealth Games England, Paul was the Chief Executive of the Surrey Sports Park, an elite training and event facility based at the University of Surrey. He was also Chair of Active Surrey, the county sports partnership.
Clare Briegal

CEO - International Netball Federation

Clare Briegal
CEO - International Netball Federation

Clare Briegal is Chief Executive Officer of the International Netball Federation (the International Governing Body for the sport of Netball). She was appointed in April 2014 and since then has driven the development and implementation of the Federation’s strategic plan. Clare is a strong believer in the power of netball to empower its participants, particularly women and girls. She, and her team at the Secretariat, work with the INF Member Associations to develop the sport internationally and grow its profile.

She leads the work of the Federation in relation to safeguarding and the protection of vulnerable adults and is on the Safeguarding Children in Sport Advisory Board.

Clare has a commercial background within the chemical industry and consumer durables sector. However, she has been actively involved in sport as an athlete, official and voluntary administrator since rowing at university. Clare is still competing as a master’s rower and is on the umpires’ panel for the Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race.

She was Deputy Chair and Non-Executive Director of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS FT. Clare is a Governor of the Grange School Hartford, Cheshire and Chair of the Northwest Regional Rowing Council.

Clare has an MBA from Manchester Business School, an MA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Biochemistry from Bryn Mawr College, USA.
Ben Calveley

Managing Director, British & Irish Lions

Ben Calveley
Managing Director, British & Irish Lions

Ben Calveley has been MD of Lions Rugby since November 2018 after serving 7 months as acting CEO of Six Nations Rugby and Lions Rugby on secondment from the RFU.
Prior to joining Lions Rugby, Calveley worked as Head of Strategy and Corporate Affairs for the RFU from June 2011 working on corporate strategy, policy, public affairs, international relations, project and risk management, fundraising and events.
He also worked for UK Sport from 2007 where he led a team advising all Olympic and Paralympic sports on how to increase their influence within the International Federations to which they affiliate. Calveley joined UK Sport from PMP, the sports consultancy, where he led the Football division and managed complex domestic and international sport projects involving multi-disciplinary teams including advising on how to develop grass root and elite sporting systems in a number of international markets.
Ben began professional life working in Merger and Acquisitions with Arthur Andersen and holds an MBA. He lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife and three young children.
Adrian Christy

Chief Executive, Badminton England

Adrian Christy
Chief Executive, Badminton England

Adrian has been Chief Executive of Badminton England since 2006 and is leading the organisation through a vision for badminton to be one of the nation’s most popular sports and to consistently win World, Olympic and Paralympic medals.

Adrian is driving a journey of modernisation and self-sustainability at Badminton England, transforming the business through technology, customer acquisition, fan engagement and organisational efficiency. He is a bold, recognised and innovative leader with proven achievement; someone who makes things happen and leads by example.

Under Adrian’s leadership, Badminton England has secured the greatest level of commercial investment in the history of the organisation, seen the Yonex All England Open Championships be included among the three badminton ‘Majors’ on the World Tour, demonstrated great vision and creativity through the launch of the first professional badminton league in the UK.
Niels de Vos

Executive Director - 2021 IAAF World Athletics Championships

Niels de Vos
Executive Director - 2021 IAAF World Athletics Championships

Niels has nearly twenty years experience in the Sports Business, stretching back to 1999 when he joined the Organising Committee of the Manchester Commonwealth Games as Commercial Director, responsible for ticketing, broadcast, marketing and the cultural festival. The huge success of 2002 is popularly seen as a watershed moment for the UK, leading to an unrivalled few decades of hosting many of the world’s biggest events, including London 2012.

After a stint as CEO of Premiership Rugby Club Sale Sharks, whom he guided to the Championship Trophy in 2006, Niels joined UK Athletics. In his ten years there he oversaw a dramatic upturn in the results of the GB team, including record medal performances in both Olympic and Paralympics, with the GB team now a regular top 5 performer on the global stage making it one of our most successful sports. Niels also instigated an aggressive plan to bid for, and run, international events as a means to drive revenue and awareness in the UK. Since 2007 UKA has hosted 2 European indoor championships, one world indoor championships, 2 world half marathons, the European team championships and, in 2017, the first ever joint hosting of the IAAF and IPC World Athletics Championships.

In Sept 2017 Niels left UKA to set up FABRIC GROUP Ltd – a specialist consultancy advising businesses, federations, cities and governments invest in their communities through sport, the arts and charity. He is currently retained by the Board of USA 2021 World Atheltics Championships to provide strategic planning advice and Board assurance.
Jon Dutton

Chief Executive - Rugby League World Cup 2021

Jon Dutton
Chief Executive - Rugby League World Cup 2021

Having led England’s successful bid to host the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, Jon was appointed Chief Executive of the tournament; leaving his position as Rugby Football League Director of Projects and People.

A sports management graduate with over 20 years’ experience in the sports industry. Jon has previously worked for the PGA European Golf Tour, Manchester FA (with a secondment to UEFA) and ran his own sports consultancy company. Jon was the Operations Director for Rugby League World Cup 2013, Director of Readiness for the Tour de France Grand Depart in 2014 and Tournament Director for the Ladbrokes Four Nations tournament in 2016. In 2017 Jon was the International Federation Tournament Commissioner for the Rugby League World Cup in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

Jon is also a member of UK Sports Major Events Panel, a specialist advisory body. Its main purpose is to represent the interests of UK Sport by making major event investment recommendations to the UK Sport Board.
Sabrina Ibanez

Secretary General of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI)

Sabrina Ibanez
Secretary General of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI)

Sabrina Ibáñez has been the Secretary General of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the global governing body of equestrian sport, since December 2014 and is the first woman to hold this post in the organisation. In her current position and as the former FEI Director of Governance and Executive Affairs, she has played an instrumental role in advancing gender equality in the Federation.

She is also a member of the IOC Gender Equality Working Group and was elected the first President of the Association of Paralympic Sports Organisations (APSO) in 2017. She is also the Chair of the ASOIF Parasport Consultative Group (APCG).

Sabrina Ibáñez holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and History from Boston University and a diploma in Sociology, Politics and Management of Sport Science from the Universities of Lausanne, Leicester, and Montpellier.

Prior to working for the FEI, Sabrina Ibáñez was with Telecom Japan TV Productions in New York (USA) and the Fédération Internationale de Natation Amateur (FINA) in Lausanne (SUI).

Sabrina Ibáñez is a Swiss national of Salvadorian, American, and Austrian descent. She is fluent in English, French, and Spanish and has two adult sons.
Debbie Jevans CBE

Senior Independent Director, English Football League

Debbie Jevans CBE
Senior Independent Director, English Football League

Debbie has been at a leading figure in sports management and administration for over 30 years. She was the first female in Olympic history to be appointed as the Director of Sport for an Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and also the first female to be appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of a Rugby World Cup.

Debbie is Vice Chair for Sport England and leads its Workforce Committee which is responsible for overseeing the UK’s strategy for coaching, volunteering and careers in sport and is a Trustee of the Invictus Games Foundation (which was established by Prince Harry to organise international sports competitions for wounded, injured and sick service personnel).
Formerly a professional tennis player, Debbie represented her country and competed at all four Grand Slams before turning to an administrative career in the sporting arena becoming General Secretary of the International Tennis Federation where she developed the sport’s first anti-doping programme and oversaw the return of tennis as an Olympic sport.

Previously voted the most influential female in British sport, Debbie was awarded a CBE in the 2013 New Year’s Honours List in recognition for her services to sport and the London 2012 Games and was awarded the Olympic Order by the IOC in the same year.
Jane M Nickerson MBE

Chief Executive Officer, Swim England

Jane M Nickerson MBE
Chief Executive Officer, Swim England

Jane Nickerson has been CEO of Swim England since April 2017, providing leadership which is passionately focused on creating a society where everyone has the opportunity to learn how to swim, is supported to develop their skills, and is able to enjoy the water throughout their lifetime.

Jane has a deep understanding of the sport through the eyes of a swimmer and an administrator, from grassroots to elite level. As a youngster she swam competitively for City of Coventry and competed to national championship standard, whilst also taking an interest in the governance of the sport. One of her most treasured times, during the 1990s, was as an England and Great Britain swimming team manager.

Jane’s experience is a great asset to Swim England and provides her with the insight to successfully lead the organisation’s strategy which includes building new partnerships to increase awareness of the health benefits of swimming, encouraging everyone to enjoy the water and ensuring the development of talented athletes.

Jane feels fortunate to work in a sector that is based on fun and encourages all to embrace this in their day-to-day work. She joined Swim England in 1997 and, before her current role, held a range of senior management posts including Head of Administration, Director of Operations and Chief Operating Officer.

Jane graduated with B Ed majoring in History and English after studying Ethnography in France for 12 months. Outside of swimming, Jane is grounded by her voluntary work with the Samaritans and enjoys being active in a different volunteer-based organisation.

She was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to swimming during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

It is Jane’s belief that with positive thinking directed in the ‘right’ direction, everything is possible.
Tove Okunniwa

Chief Executive - Sport London

Tove Okunniwa
Chief Executive - Sport London

Tove is CEO of London Sport, a non-profit organisation dedicated to making London the most active city in the world, supported by Sport England and the Mayor of London. She has a background in strategic marketing and content creation, with extensive experience in both commercial and non-profit sectors. Previously she led two successful sport and entertainment marketing agencies – WPP owned MEC Access and Havas Sports & Entertainment – advising clients such as Barclays, Coca-Cola, Visa, Danone, Lloyds Bank, Marriott, Specsavers, Nintendo and Morrisons among many others. Prior to this Tove spent 10 years at the BBC in senior brand marketing roles, including Head of Marketing at BBC Sport where she led a successful repositioning of the brand.

She is Deputy Chairwoman of England Boxing and a Trustee of Catch 22, a leading social business.
Andy Payne OBE

Chairman, British Esports Association

Andy Payne OBE
Chairman, British Esports Association
Karen Pickering MBE

Commonwealth & World Champion Swimmer

Karen Pickering MBE
Commonwealth & World Champion Swimmer

During a 20 year international swimming career Karen won 35 major championship medals and 38 National titles despite breaking her back in a car accident in 1996. She was 4 times World champion, broke 2 World Records and competed at 4 consecutive Olympic Games.

Karen retired from competitive swimming in 2005 & as well as well as being the Swimming Development Officer at Ardingly College she now commentates for the BBC and is a non-Exec Director for Sport England.
Nick Pink

Chief Executive, England Hockey

Nick Pink
Chief Executive, England Hockey

Nick joined England Hockey as Chief Executive in November 2019, having held the same position with England Golf for the previous four years. Nick has a background in sports administration having worked for the International Cricket Council, UK Sport and the Youth Sport Trust.
Matthew Porter

CEO - Professional Darts Corporation

Matthew Porter
CEO - Professional Darts Corporation

Matthew Porter has been Chief Executive of the Professional Darts Corporation since January 2008, as well as a director of the PDC’s parent company, Matchroom Sport.

During that time, he has overseen the progress of the sport to unprecedented levels where it now pays out in excess of £14m prize money annually and has introduced a structure which provides a pathway from picking up a dart for the first time to being crowned World Champion, with the introduction of Development and Challenge Tours, as well as a World Series for elite players.

Porter was Chief Executive of Leyton Orient FC when the club was owned by Matchroom, as well as serving on the board of The Football League. In 2006 he was appointed as the youngest chief executive in English football by O’s chairman Barry Hearn, aged just 26. His appointment coincided with the Club’s promotion to League 1 and he oversaw their progression to an established side in the division which included narrowly missing out on promotion at the end of the 2013/14 season before the Club was sold.
Julie Porter

Chief Operating Officer, LTA

Julie Porter
Chief Operating Officer, LTA

As Chief Operating Officer at the LTA, Julie is one of the most senior and experienced female leaders in the country among sports governing bodies, in charge of a wide ranging remit covering Strategy & Innovation, Marketing & Commercial, Facilities, Coaching, Operations and Corporate Affairs.

Julie started her career in food retail on a graduate training scheme with Aldi Gmbh as they entered the UK market, before joining David Lloyd Leisure (DLL) to align her experience and management training with her passion for sport, health and fitness. She worked in various roles at DLL with responsibility across the UK and Europe, with one of her standout achievements being spearheading the company’s successful expansion into Spain.

Julie’s 15 years at DLL culminated leading a turnaround of business performance as Chief Operating Officer, before taking on the equivalent role at the LTA in May 2018 with the purpose of developing a more commercial and business led approach to strategy to drive the sport forward and get more people playing tennis.

The role provides the ideal platform for Julie to make a difference to a sport that she has been passionate about since first picking up a racket at the age of 10. Since joining the LTA, Julie has been a central figure in driving progress towards achieving the organisation’s vision of opening up tennis to many more people, and implementing its programme of work to grow the sport by making it relevant, accessible, welcoming and enjoyable to anyone who has an interest.
Kelly Simmons MBE

The Football Association, Director of Women's Professional Game

Kelly Simmons MBE
The Football Association, Director of Women's Professional Game

Kelly Simmons MBE took up the new role of Director of the Women’s Professional Game in September 2018 to help deliver and transform professional women’s football in England. She oversees The FA Women’s Super League, FA Women’s Championship, FA Women’s National League and the Women’s Pyramid of Football.

She was previously The FA Director of Participation and Development, overseeing the implementation of a £200m four year investment programme into children’s and grassroots football.

Kelly was awarded an MBE in 2002 for Services to Football and received the BT Sports Industry Award for ‘Leadership in Sport’ in 2016.
Nigel Walker OBE

National Director, English Institute of Sport

Nigel Walker OBE
National Director, English Institute of Sport

A former international athlete and rugby player who has transferred the determination, focus and hard work required to succeed in the sporting arena to life after to become a successful leader and motivator in his post competitive career. Experienced in building teams to work collaboratively to achieve clearly defined objectives in the most effective and efficient manner possible. Well networked and regarded across a range of industries and highly successful in identifying and implementing change programmes to increase performance and impact. Nigel was awarded the OBE for services to elite sport in June 2019.

Served on the UK Sport board for four years (2006-2010) chairing the Major Events Panel and serving on the Audit Committee. He is currently a Commonwealth Games England board member (Since 2015).
Mel Young

Chair, Sportscotland

Mel Young
Chair, Sportscotland

Mel Young is Chair of Sportscotland, the national agency for Sport in Scotland.

He is a successful global social entrepreneur as well as a passionate believer in the power of sport to create genuine lasting change. He is founder and President of the Homeless World Cup.

He also sits on the UK Sports Board, watches lots of sport and runs every day.

Judging Information

The Sports Business Awards will be judged independently by an esteemed panel who possess a wealth of knowledge and experience between them.
The scoring will all be conducted online, without any reference to other scorers and based solely on the submission of the entrant. This will ensure the scores are unbiased and judges are not swayed by the opinions of other panel members.
Each entry will be scored by at least 4 judges in total. The organisers will collate the individual scores and use the average marks given to initially decide the finalists and ultimately to determine the award winners.
Where the average scores are so close that it is too difficult to determine a winner, then other judges will be asked to evaluate these entries as well in order to make a final decision.
The information provided to judges will be used solely for the purposes of assessing the entries. Potentially sensitive information will not be made public.
Judges will absent themselves from any discussions where they have a vested interest.
The judges’ decision is final, no correspondence will be entered into and no reasons given for decisions.
The shortlisted entrants will be announced in September 2021.
If you need help with your entry or require any clarification, please contact Katy Atkins on katy@r3events.co.uk or telephone 0208 788 3710.