Our Board

• Neil Davidson CBE - Chair (and Nominations, Governance and Remuneration Committee Chair)

Neil is passionate about the power of sport and play to change the lives of young people based on his own experience as a teenager. Sport and exercise have continued to be important throughout his life. He is an experienced chair across a range of organisations from major companies to small voluntary committees. Currently, he chairs Optibiotix, a life-science plc developing microbiome technology. He is a partner in a specialist physiotherapy practice, Bridge4 which treats unfortunate people who have suffered life-changing accidents or diseases and encourages the over-50s back into exercise. Cricket is his own passion, he chairs The Cricketer Publishing Ltd and chairs his local cricket club, Loughborough Town. He has been an Associate Governor of Ashmount special needs school in Loughborough for the past 20 years. Neil was appointed a CBE in 2006.

• Dame Katherine Grainger DBE

Katherine is the first British woman to win medals at five successive Olympic Games including a gold medal at London 2012. Katherine is now the Chair of UK Sport. She joined the YST Board in 2018. She works with various charities and sporting bodies and this, alongside her lengthy sporting career, was recognised when she was made a Dame for services to sport and charity in 2017.

• John Gilligan (Audit and Risk Committee Chair)

John, a Chartered Accountant, provides corporate finance advice to European financial technology companies. He has been involved in various aspects of community rugby over many years including establishing an education awards scheme for players, chairing an injured players fund and chairing London Irish Amateur RFC. He has also been a school governor.

• Valerie Copenhagen

Valerie is currently on secondment as the Head of Disability at Sport England. Previously she held the role of Executive Director at UK Deaf Sport where she led on programmes linked with increasing participation of deaf and hard hearing people in sport and physical activity across the UK. She has over ten years of experience within the charity sector. She also sits on the board at UK Council on Deafness and is chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance Youth Advisory Panel. Valerie is the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead on our Board and is also a member of the Nominations, Governance and Remuneration Committee.

• Claire Boakes

Claire has over 20 years’ experience leading industry-winning marketing, brand and partnership campaigns. Currently managing Land Rovers global sport & humanitarian portfolio, she is very experienced in credible and authentic partnership management and communications. Claire has a passion for championing the next generation and purpose lead strategy.

• Shweta Sharma

Shweta is an experienced commercial strategist, business and technology leader. She has extensive experience creating and managing the end-to-end delivery of innovative digital products and services. She is passionate about creating fun, engaging and climate appropriate services, which are consumer first. Shweta was Director Entertainment at Xbox Europe, Middle East and Africa where she built a new commercial division by creating and scaling new sports, TV and apps products and services. She has led digital businesses spanning various industries, such as Navico, Disney and Harvey Nichols. Shweta is a non-executive board member of BT Group’s Technology Advisory Board and works across a diverse portfolio of companies. She is a proud mentor to women in tech and a champion for evolving culture in the workplace. Shweta is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.

• Fatou Jeng

Fatou is a senior television executive with over 20 years’ experience specialising in broadcast regulations, factual, entertainment and live sports programming. She has worked at various UK broadcasters including Channel 4, Sky and most recently BT Sport where she was Head of Broadcast Regulation. She is a real advocate for strategic and cultural change, with a passion for building inclusive work environments. Fatou has facilitated opportunities for local community groups and schools with the aim of diversifying the future broadcasting landscape. She has worked across human rights initiatives within sports broadcasting, helping to identify and remedy human rights risks within their operations. Fatou is also currently a trustee for an East London based women’s empowerment charity, You Make It.

• Abhishna Yogaragan

Abhishna is the Chair of our Youth Board. She is currently a student and has a great passion for spreading awareness for the benefits of physical activity, the importance of diversity and the impact of sport and play on our wellbeing.

Observers:

• Becky Hipkiss

Becky is an experienced Client Services turned New Business Director who thrives on delivering social impact and creating positive change on behalf of brands and organisations. Currently New Business Director and Associate Board Director at We Are Futures, an agency that builds advocacy for brands amongst young people, through social impact. Becky has previously worked as New Business and Marketing Director for Hopscotch Consulting, where she oversaw multiple large accounts, including Sport England, Women in Sport, The Gatsby Foundation, and Nike. Her work covered insight-driven strategy, co-created branding, multi-channel communications campaigns, and innovative programme delivery through film and digital builds. Becky is passionate about the power of sport and physical activity to change lives and tackling the inequalities and challenges young people face today.  

• Jo Halliday

Following 10 successful years in the pharmaceutical industry, Jo moved into the Education sector for 20 years, which has included two Headships in secondary schools. Her first Headship was of a large secondary school, which was one of the first Specialist Sports’ Colleges. Her second Headship was in Berkshire, where she turned around a school which had been underperforming for 10 years into the school of choice for the local community. After five years, the school received national recognition for their work around Well Being and Student Voice. Now running her own business, Coach Evolution, Jo is a full-time leadership coach, utilising her many years of Headship experience. Jo works with middle and senior leaders in schools, specifically around developing self-awareness as leaders. Jo is also a Trustee of both Berkshire Youth and Get Berkshire Active.