Brooke named as England Boxing’s new Chair

England Boxing has appointed Richard Brooke as Chair of its Board of Directors.

He takes up his role with immediate effect, replacing Caspar Hobbs, who stepped down in February after serving the maximum of two four-years terms.

Brooke is an experienced sports and media industry executive who brings a wealth of commercial, financial, and strategic experience to the position.

He has held a number of senior roles, including Chair of GBI Racing and executive director of Setanta Sports, and played a key role in the development of pay TV in the UK when working for Sky plc.

In boxing, Brooke has worked on a host of high-profile events, including the first major pay-per-view event in Britain – Bruno v Tyson on Sky in 1996 – and Hopkins v Calzaghe in 2008.

He was also chairman and a founding director of Boxnation, the specialist boxing channel, when it launched in 2011, and has a proven ability to grow boxing audiences.

Brooke will oversee the implementation of England Boxing’s new strategic plan for 2022-2027, Inspiring and Transforming Lives Through Boxing.

“I’m delighted to be joining England Boxing as its new chair and I’m excited to get started,” he said.

“Boxing has a uniquely powerful ability to bring people together and to be a force for good in the community, and, as the national governing body for the amateur sport, England Boxing has a key role to play in its continued development.

“There is so much commitment and good work done by so many in the sport and it’s an honour to be involved with the team who help support members and clubs up and down the country.”

Alkit Patel will return to his role as Vice-Chair, having filled in as Chair on an interim basis while Brooke’s appointment was made.

He said: “We are thrilled to have someone of the calibre of Richard join us as Chair of England Boxing.

“Having conducted a thorough and detailed recruitment process, the Board is confident that we have found an excellent new Chair to lead us forward.”