Paul Darling QC – Chairman
A barrister at Keating Chambers since 1985 and a Queen’s Counsel since 1999, Mr Darling's practice ranges across construction and engineering law. He was the Chairman of the Technology and Construction Bar Association between 2003 and 2007 and was Chairman of the Bar Council Access to the Bar Committee until 2009. He is currently a Bencher of Middle temple, a Trustee of the Free Representation Unit. His sporting passions are horseracing, as an owner and racegoer, and football. He was a Member of the Horserace Totalisator Board from 2006 until 31 July 2008, and has been Independent Member of the Horserace Betting Levy Board since 14 July 2008.

Brendon Batson
A former professional footballer, Mr Batson became deputy CEO at the Professional Footballers Association. During this time he was chairman of PFA Financial Management Ltd (1989-2002) and was awarded the MBE in 2001 for services to football. He then became managing director at West Bromwich Albion plc (2002-2003). He is currently a sports consultant.

Pauleen Lane
Dr Lane is a civil engineer by training, and is currently a part-time lecturer at the University of Manchester and an elected member of Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council, where she was Mayor in 2005-6. From 1999-2008 she was a Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair of English Partnerships and served as a Board Member of the Coal Authority from 2008 to 2010. Dr Lane is a board member of the Theatres Trust, the Tenants Services Authority. She is a Trustee of the New Local Government Network, and Deputy Chair of the Infrastructure Planning Commission. She was awarded a CBE in 2005 for services to local government. She holds no other public appointments.

Peter Rowley
Mr Rowley retired as a director and Chief Executive of Darlington Building Society in 2009 and is now Head of Business Support at The Social Investment Business, the largest social investor in the UK. Previously Chairman of Sport England North-East he is the Regional Champion for Community Sport in the North East, a Governor of Teesside University, a director of the Defence Vetting Agency, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and Tees Valley Community Foundation. He holds no other public appointments.

Julie Summerell
After graduating as a civil engineer, Julie Summerell joined the oil and gas industry and over 9 years carried out various operational and commercial roles.  She then spent 11 years as a strategic risk consultant leading numerous high-profile projects such as the global risk assessments for the Millennium Celebrations for the Government Office for London and London’s major celebrations for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Weekend Trust.  She is an accredited mediator and specialises in multi-party facilitation with a focus on public behaviour issues. She is currently facilitating a multi-party forum on behalf of the football and rail industry looking at resolving problems associated with fans travelling on the railways. Julie was recently a Public Appointments Ambassador in a new Government programme led by the Government Equalities Office and Cabinet Office to encourage more people to apply for public appointments.

Ronnie Wilkie
Mr Wilkie is a Main Board Director and the Operations Director of Ascot Racecourse and has been involved in all aspects of the redevelopment, certification and operation of the site. After beginning his career in the British Army, Mr Wilkie was Group Administration Manager for Erskine House Group plc (1986-88), and then held various Director roles within the consultancy firm Booz Allen & Hamilton, until switching to his Ascot role in 2002. He holds no other public appointments. He is Chairman of Born Free USA and Secretary of the Army Benevolent Fund in Herefordshire. He is a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order and a Serving Brother of St. John.

Derek Wilson
Mr Wilson is a practising architect. He was a Principal of HOK Sport until 2006, and was previously a Director of Lobb Sports Architecture. He has specialised in stadium design and sports event masterplanning (including London Olympic Park) for 20 years. He was Head of Design and Overlay for the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG), and now runs his own practice. He holds no other public appointments.