Jockey Club names former Ladbrokes-Coral chief Mullen as new CEO

Mullen, who was confirmed in the role yesterday (31 March), will replace interim CEO Charlie Boss. The latter has been leading the Jockey Club on a temporary basis since Nevin Truesdale exited at the end of last year.

Boss will continue as interim CEO until Mullen takes up his new post in June. He will also remain at the Jockey Club until July to support and ensure a smooth transition.

Mullen, a racehorse owner, joins the organisation after five and a half years as the CEO of commercial news publisher Reach. The group counts the Mirror, Daily Express, Daily Record and Daily Star among its publishing brands.

Prior to this, Mullen was group CEO of Ladbrokes-Coral between March 2015 and March 2018. This followed spells as chief operating officer and international director at William Hill.

Earlier in his career, Mullen also worked at News International, Arc Worldwide, Faulds Group and Murray Group.

He has also been serving as a senior independent non-executive director of the Racecourse Media Group (RMG) since June 2019. RMG is the umbrella organisation responsible for media rights involving 61 racecourses in Britain and Ireland.

Mullen talks up ‘forward-thinking’ Jockey Club

Commenting on his new role, Mullen said he is pleased to be joining an “exciting” business with the future of horse racing its core focus.

“As a lifelong horse racing fan who has spent some of the best days of my life on racecourses, I could not be prouder to join the Jockey Club’s passionate and dedicated team through what I hope will be an exciting new chapter,” Mullen said. “The Jockey Club is a forward-thinking and exciting business with its focus firmly on the future.”

Baroness Dido Harding, senior steward for the Jockey Club, also welcomed the appointment of Mullen. She said experience will be valuable for the organisation moving forward.

“Jim will bring with him a wealth of experience and expertise, while also being a racing fan at heart who is passionate about promoting the sport and the incredible experiences we are able to offer our customers,” she said.

Interim CEO Boss added: “Jim has all of the skills and experience the Jockey Club needs to realise its full potential. I can’t think of a better person to hand the baton over to this summer.

“My energy and focus before Jim arrives will be on creating the solid foundations to ensure he and this wonderful organisation are positioned to thrive.”