Founder of sports betting company Betfair, Mark Davies, appointed chair of British Rowing

The founder of sports betting company Betfair and current chair of ArcheryGB, Mark Davies, has been named the new chair of British Rowing.

Davies will replace Annamarie Phelps and is set to take up the role on 1 April 2018. He will stay in his role as chair of ArcheryGB until the end of his term in 2019.

Davies has a strong rowing pedigree and has been involved in the sport since he coxed in two reserve Boat Races for Cambridge University. He also represented England at the Home International Regatta and was a finalist at Henley Royal Regatta.

Davies served on the executive committee of Cambridge University Boat Club and founded Crabtree Boat Club in 1995.

In business, Davies began his career at JP Morgan before moving on to work in the media, spending five years broadcasting and producing for BBC Sport on Radio 5Live and News24, as well as writing for the Daily Telegraph.

He was also part of the team that set up and launched sports betting company Betfair, spending ten years as the public face of the business.

Davies is a trustee of SportsAid, and is involved in a number of fundraising campaigns for charitable causes – including Onside Youth Zones, a project to build a facility for underprivileged young people in Hammersmith.

“Rowing has been my passion since I picked up my first oar at university and I have seen, first hand, the many positive impacts the sport can have to everyone involved," Davies said.

“Annamarie, and the late Dame Di Ellis before, have achieved so much for the sport and set British Rowing on a solid course.

"I am committed to ensuring that we continue to build on their hard work and success, which has served rowing so well. I believe that rowing is a sport for all, and I will work with the Board, staff and the sport’s exceptional volunteers to engage the current community and those new to rowing.”

Andy Parkinson, CEO of British Rowing, added: “Mark is joining the board at a really exciting time for the sport, as we look to retain our position as one of the world’s leading rowing nations, develop our membership offer, attract new audiences and, ultimately, get more people involved with this great sport.”