Arena Racing Company recruits Eleven Sports’ head of legal

UK racecourse owner and operator Arena Racing Company (ARC) has recruited Alex Slade, head of legal at subscription broadcaster Eleven Sports, as its general counsel.

Slade is to lead on all elements of corporate governance at legal affairs in the newly-created position.

He has been appointed along with Bradley Hunt, who has joined from corporate loyalty programme provider Collinson Group as chief financial officer. Both roles form part of ARC’s senior management team.

Slade joined Eleven Sports in October 2018 from UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport, where he was head of legal, sport. He initially came on board as a senior commercial lawyer at BT Sport in 2013 after over six years as legal counsel at the UK arm of Nickelodeon, the children’s television channel.

He is also a independent non-executive director at the British Judo Association and an advisory board member of international legal publication LawInSport.

Both Slade and Hunt will report to ARC chief executive Martin Cruddace, who said: “The appointments of Bradley and Alex represent a significant step forward for ARC as an organisation, as we position ourselves for sustainable, long-term growth.”

Meanwhile, corporate development director Kevin Robertson has been named as managing director of media and international. He will be responsible for product delivery to online and international partners, plus the management of ARC subsidiaries such as i-neda, the betting industry technology provider, and Vermantia, a provider of multi-channel content for lotteries, gaming and betting operators.