Two sports industry leaders have been appointed to the Board of London Stadium as part of its new ownership structure.
It was announced last year that a new governance arrangement will see ownership of the former Olympic Stadium moving from the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) directly into Greater London Authority Holdings. Former LLDC Chief Executive, Lyn Garner, was appointed as the new chair of the Stadium’s board.
Lyn has now recruited Mike Papadimitriou, most recently chief financial officer of Formula E and Stuart Cain, chief executive of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, its international venue Edgbaston, and director of the Birmingham Phoenix cricket team as non-executive directors of London Stadium LLP. They will join Phil Mead, former chair of NEC Group Arenas and The Ticket Factory, who moves across from his role as a Board member of E20, which was the governance structure under LLDC.
Lyn Garner said: “I am delighted that we have recruited Mike and Stuart who have exceptional experience as successful leaders in the sports industry and will be part of a high calibre Board alongside Phil.
“London Stadium has established itself as the UK’s leading multi-use Stadium. During the last year we have hosted sold out concerts for global music stars, a weekend of Major League Baseball with more than 100,000 spectators and the world’s biggest one day athletics meet. All of this is on top of a full programme of Premier League football with West Ham.
“The economic contribution to London runs into millions of pounds. This is a crucial time for London Stadium as we continue to drive the business, including a major investment in solar panels, signing huge artists and securing new commercial deals.
“London Stadium has hosted some of the UK’s biggest sporting and entertainment moments and there is great potential to grow the business. I am looking forward to working with Mike and Stuart, tapping into their experience and continuing the work on making the most of this key London asset.”
Mike has been a key strategic leader in building the Formula E business from start-up to a well-established global sports brand. He previously held several senior finance and strategy positions for Discovery Networks (now Warner Bros. Discovery).
He said: "I am delighted to join Lyn and the rest of the board as they shape an exciting vision for the future of this fantastic venue. I look forward to providing whatever support the management team of London Stadium may need to accelerate the commercial success of the Stadium and deliver value back to London."
Stuart has secured a long-term venue deal for international cricket in Birmingham and secured significant investment for development in and around Edgbaston Stadium. He was chief executive at Wasps Holdings and held senior positions at NEC Group.
He said: "I'm really looking forward to working with the Board to build on the reputation of London Stadium as an iconic venue for the city and making sure this translates into real opportunities for local people."
