Brant Dunshea to become BHA's acting chief executive as search for new CEO continues

Brant Dunshea will take over as acting chief executive of the BHA in the new year while the search for Julie Harrington's successor continues.

The move is to ensure the new BHA chair Lord Allen, who is due to take up his position on June 1, plays a role in the recruitment process.

After 20 years in senior racing-related roles in Australia, Dunshea joined the BHA in 2015. He was promoted to the role of director of integrity and regulatory operations the following year before becoming chief regulatory officer in 2018.

"I'm grateful to the BHA board for trusting me to take on this responsibility during this period," said Dunshea. "I'm looking forward to the challenge and I'll be focused on tackling the ongoing issues we're facing as a sport.

"I can't comment on the CEO recruitment process but we've always been clear that the incoming chair Lord Allen would wish to play an active role in that process, and rightly so. I look forward to working closely with our current chair Joe [Saumarez Smith] as that process continues."

In June, Harrington said she felt it was the "right time" to leave her role after announcing she would be stepping down at the end of the year after four years leading British racing's governing body, while Saumarez Smith has to step down at the end of May, having served the maximum term on the board of a national regulatory body. 

"I'd like to recognise the contribution of Julie and wish her the best in whatever comes next," added Dunshea. "I worked with Julie when she was a BHA board member. 

"When she arrived as chief executive we were navigating our way out of Covid and she demonstrated great leadership in driving a significant series of reforms during that time to ensure the BHA, and more generally the sport, was on a strong footing, including commencing the process of developing a single collective strategy for the sport."

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