Guards Polo Club appoints new Chief Executive
Guards Polo Club has announced that it has appointed Neil Hobday as the Club’s new Chief Executive, with immediate effect. Neil will report to the Club’s Board and will manage a full-time staff of 12, which increases to more than 20 during the summer polo season.
A former Scots Guards officer, Neil spent four years with the International Management Group (IMG) in the late 1980s and early ’90s, where he was responsible for managing the personal and business affairs of some of the world’s top golfers, including Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance. He then co-founded the Carnegie Sports International company for Sir David Murray creating a multi-sports marketing and management agency, working with amongst others Jack Nicklaus’s Golden Bear Group and the Lyle Anderson Company.
This latter relationship resulted in Neil being appointed Chief Executive of the exclusive Loch Lomond Golf Club in 1995, a post he held for four years. Within two years of opening, the Club had achieved two consecutive world top 50 rankings. More recently Neil has fulfilled a five-year contract with the Trump Organisation in Scotland as Consultant Project Director.
Neil said: “I am delighted to be given this opportunity at Guards Polo Club. I may not be a polo aficionado yet, but my understanding of the business of sport and club management and my strong belief in the importance of high operational standards and good relationships with members and players will ensure that Guards Polo Club will continue to flourish. In addition I can now publicly admit to my secret passion for agronomy and so am keen to learn more about the science of creating the perfect polo ground.”
Neil, who is married with four children, is currently based in Kent, but is already looking for a family home closer to the Club in Berkshire.
Following last year’s tragic death of Charlie Stisted, the Club’s CEO for the past 10 years, the Board appointed Odgers Berndtson to carry out the selection process on behalf of the Club. Jock Green-Armytage, Chairman of the Appointments Panel, said: “Charlie was much admired by players and sponsors alike and the Board wanted to build on the very solid base which he created. Therefore the Board took its time and its patience has been rewarded by Neil accepting the Board’s offer to become the new Chief Executive at Guards Polo Club. Neil was an impressive candidate throughout the process and has the right skills to continue to develop Guards Polo Club’s strengths both at home and abroad.”
The Club has also announced that Jock Green-Armytage will succeed Colonel Paul Belcher as Chairman of Guards Polo Club at the end of this season. Colonel Belcher has been a popular Chairman of Guards Polo Club for the past 10 years – overseeing some of the Club’s most historic moments, including the 50th anniversary and the opening of its Clubhouse in 2009 by HM The Queen. Jock paid tribute to Paul, saying: “Paul will be a hard act to follow as his wise counsel, especially during the immediate period following Charlie’s death, has always been much valued by me, my fellow Board members and the staff at Smith’s Lawn.”
Jock has long experience of Guards Polo Club, having been a playing member since 1975. He has played all levels of polo and had considerable success with his Saracens team in the 1980s and ’90s. His son, a serving officer in The Scots Guards, also plays and has been a playing member at Guards since 1994. Jock is no stranger to the management side of the Club, as he was a member of the General and Executive Committees from 1984 – 1999 – the forerunner of today’s Board – and he has been a Vice-Chairman of the Board since 2000. In addition to his role at Guards Polo Club, Jock has also been a steward of the sport’s governing body, the Hurlingham Polo Association since 2002, was Chairman of the HPA’s Handicap Committee from 2005 – 2008 and has been a member of the HPA’s Finance and Grants Committee since 2008.