Mike Etherington-Smith becomes British Eventing chief executive

MIKE ETHERINGTON-SMITH has taken over as chief executive of British Eventing (BE).

BE announced yesterday (Monday 10 November) that the immediate promotion of Mr Etherington-Smith from BE sport director comes after the early retirement of BE’s business director Terry Bailey following an operation. The board said it would be advertising for a finance controller and sport director.

The BE board made its last chief executive, Peter Durrant, redundant in April 2007 — much to the surprise of the sport.

At the time, chairman Alexandra Fox told H&H: “the board decided the chief executive’s role was no longer needed — it has become too big, we now need a sports director”.

But at its AGM two weeks ago BE admitted its current articles of association required the appointment of a chief executive.

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