Five new directors elected to Badminton England board

11 July, 2024

Five new directors have been elected by the Badminton England membership to the Badminton England board following an AGM on June 22. Three were previously co-opted and two are new to the board.

Presented by the Chair of the Board of Directors Peter Emptage, each Elected Director has now been presented, voted on and approved, and we are delighted to welcome such a wealth of talent and experience to the board of directors. 

Kate Aldridge and Chris Clements began their tenure when co-opted. Gene Joyner and Harley Towler are beginning three-year terms of office, in addition Mark King has been re-elected for a second term. 

George Wood was also elected however we are very pleased that his appointment has since been superseded by his acceptance of a full-time role as an employee of Badminton England. We are looking forward to working alongside George in his new position. 

Here is more information about the new members… 

Kate Aldrige, Elected Director of the Association 

Kate’s passion for badminton began as a teenager when she played in county competitions and local adult leagues across Sussex and Kent. 

Currently Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Director at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Kate is a firm believer in the positive power of sport and the importance of inclusivity and accessibility. 

Her first project at the ECB involved developing their Transform women’s and girls’ cricket action plan which has led to huge growth in the profile and engagement with the women’s game. 

Kate is also a committed mentor as part of the University of Bath’s Widening Participation scholarship programme. 

Chris Clements, Elected Director of the Association 

Chris brings impressive digital know-how to the table as current Digital Products Lead at Wimbledon where his responsibilities include developing innovations to grow and expand the Wimbledon fan base. 

Chris also brings with him an understanding of how to utilise the latest AI technology having previously spent three years at the Lawn Tennis Association where he played a key role in driving participation.  

With over a decade of experience in charity trustee and board positions Chris also has firsthand experience as a player, having competed at national level in two sports. He was also recently responsible for the daily running of one of the country’s largest rowing clubs. 

Gene Joyner, Elected Director of the Association 

Alongside being a master’s European gold medalist, Gene is also a coach and a passionate champion of inclusivity. 

Gene wears many hats as current CEO for the charity FareShare South West, Chair of Avon County Badminton Association and a trustee of the SS Great Britain. 

Harley Towler, Elected Director of the Association 

A former Great Britain squad player, Harley represented England at both the Sudirman Cup and Thomas Cup before attending the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as a sparring partner. 

Harley has a doctorate in sports biomechanics and engineering and since retiring as a player has taken up the role of coach of the National Under 15 age group. 

In addition to the new elected directors, Alison Odell – a board member between 2016 and 2022 – has been elected as vice-president.  

Alison Odell has been involved in badminton since 1975 as a player, representing both Worcestershire and Cheshire. As chair of TASS and a leading voice in university sport both domestically and internationally, she has been a strong advocate for badminton, driving much of the current BUCS badminton structure including the very well-attended National Championships in Sheffield, for which she continues to support delivery. 

Nora Perry and Geoff Hinder have been appointed Honorary Vice-Presidents. Both were serving as Vice Presidents and we are delighted to recognise their service to the sport by appointing as Honorary Vice Presidents. 

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mike McSweeney, who has made the decision to step down from the Board of Directors.  

We thank him for his tremendous service to the board since he joined in 2019.