Nick Rust to leave Ladbrokes to head up BHA

Nick Rust will leave his position as retail director at Ladbrokes early next year in order to become the new chief executive at the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

In a statement to the market this morning, Ladbrokes confirmed Rust was to leave the company in April and would take no further part in group discussions concerning horse racing or the horse racing industry as he serves out his notice period.

Ladbrokes said there were “no immediate plans to replace Nick Rust’s position in a like for like role”.

Rust will replace Paul Bittar who announced in August his intention to stand down from the role two years after joining the BHA from Australia’s Racing Victoria.

“Nick has played a significant in Ladbrokes since he rejoined us in 2011 to help transform our retail offer. He has created a strong team who have been running the day-to-day business for some time and who have a clear view on what needs to be done to keep the retail offer highly competitive,” Richard Glynn, Ladbrokes CEO, said in a statement.

“We wish Nick well in what is an important role for horse racing at an important time.”

Rust had served in the role for more than three-and-a-half years since returning to the bookmaker in February 2011, having originally left Ladbrokes in 2002.

He served as Sky Betting & Gaming’s managing director for five years until August 2007 and then held directorship roles at Gala Coral Group.

Rust formed part of a three-man ‘executive committee’ alongside international and group strategy director Damian Cope and digital director Jim Mullen, which was created in October last year to “promote synergies” between the bookmaker’s commercial divisions.