By Ian McConnell
Business Editor
HORSERACING sector veteran Vivien Currie, who has played a leading role in developing and expanding Hamilton Park during 13 years at the helm, has been appointed chief executive of Ascot Racecourse.
Ms Currie, a former chief executive of Livingston Football Club who worked at accountancy firm Ernst & Young for 12 years, will start at Ascot in April as chief executive-designate. She will work alongside Ascot chief executive Guy Henderson, who will retire on June 30 after his eighth Royal Meeting in his current role.
Ascot chairman Sir Francis Brooke said: “Vivien’s career is a compelling combination of strategic, commercial and racecourse management experience. This made her the outstanding candidate for this role. She is very familiar with the structure of the British racing industry.”
Ms Currie, who graduated as a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Glasgow in 1989 and has led the team at Hamilton Park since June 2008, said of her new job: “This role is a culmination of all the experiences I have had in my professional career to date and I am looking forward enormously to working with Guy in the build-up to Royal Ascot in June.”
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She has overseen a transformation at Hamilton Park. This has included the opening of the Hampton by Hilton Hamilton Park hotel in 2019.
Sir Ian Good, chairman of Hamilton Park, said: ‘Vivien has overseen an incredibly successful period in the racecourse’s history and has played a leading role in the development and expansion of the business on all fronts...Her leadership of the team has been exceptional, especially over the past few years which have been so challenging for us all.
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“Whilst we are naturally sad that she is moving on, the opportunity to take up the reins at Ascot in such a prestigious role is one that couldn’t be ignored, and she goes with our heartfelt thanks for her tremendous contribution to Hamilton Park.”
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