Evoke said Lord Jon Mendelsohn has left his roles as chair and non-executive director with immediate effect, and appointed Mark Summerfield as permanent non-executive chair. Anne de Kerckhove will become permanent deputy chair while retaining her senior independent director role and committee positions.
The board changes place Summerfield in the chair role and de Kerckhove in the permanent deputy chair role.
The day’s most important stories, free. One email a day.
Andrew Rhodes has stepped down as chief executive of the UK Gambling Commission to take a role outside the regulator in April, according to the Commission’s statement. Deputy chief executive Sarah Gardner will serve as acting chief executive while the Commission recruits a permanent replacement.
Racecourse Media Group has appointed Nigel Railton as chair, reportedly, with him due to take up the role on 1 October. He will succeed Conor Grant, who is to remain for a handover until 1 November after serving as chair since April 2023.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced Ruth Evans as the next chair of the UK Gambling Commission, with a five-year term starting on 30 September 2026. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy made the appointment. Evans will succeed interim chair Charles Counsell, who took the role after Marcus Boyle left in January 2025.
The British Horseracing Authority appointed Simon Cox as its independent non-executive chair, with his term beginning on 1 October. The initial term is three years; Cox said he would meet people across racing, breeding and betting before taking up the role.
The Betting and Gaming Council appointed Gamesys managing director Kane Purdy as chair with immediate effect, following Michael Dugher’s departure in January. The BGC said Purdy’s term will last 12 months as it moves to a rotating non-executive chair model involving representatives from member companies.