Table Tennis England has appointed Clare Briegal as its new Chair, succeeding Nick Donald who stepped down this month.
Clare (pictured above), who takes up the position today (31 March), has a wealth of experience in sports governance and administration in both non-exec and executive roles, most recently as Deputy Chair of British Rowing and Chair of Sport Liverpool. She was Chief Executive of World Netball (formerly the International Netball Federation), the international governing body of the sport, from 2014 until last year.
Under her tenure, a new commercial model for the Netball World Cup was delivered; the 2023 edition winning Event of the Year in the Sport Business Awards for its highly successful sponsorship and broadcasting programme.
“I am thrilled to be appointed Chair of Table Tennis England at such an exciting time for the sport’ said Clare on her appointment.
“Table tennis is such a fun, inclusive and exciting sport, that is welcoming and appeals to all. I look forward to working with the Board, membership and staff to maximise fully the opportunities presented through the hosting of the World Team Table Tennis Championships in 2026.”
Prior to World Netball, Clare held a number of positions in the sport, health and homeware sectors in both executive and board roles. These include Deputy Chair of Warrington & Halton NHS Foundation Trust and Marketing Director of Twyford Bathrooms Ltd.
An alumna of Cambridge University and Manchester Business School, Clare was a Games Maker team leader at the London 2012 rowing regatta, rowed for Cambridge University WBC and is a qualified umpire and coach. She was a member of The Boat Race Umpires Panel, umpiring the Lightweight Women’s Boat Race in 2019.
Table Tennis England CEO Sally Lockyer said: “We are delighted to welcome Clare as the new Chair of Table Tennis England. Clare’s extensive experience will be invaluable in leading the Board and taking the sport of table tennis to new heights over the coming years.
“We look forward to working together, to inspire more people to participate and enjoy the game at all levels.”
How is the Chair appointed?
As set out in the Government’s Code for Sports Governance, the Chair must be appointed by the Board following an open and transparent application process.
Applications were via KinseySears, our partners in the recruitment process.
The Chair is permitted to serve a maximum of two four-year terms in office.
