After announcing his resignation in January, Jon Dutton’s tenure as British Cycling CEO has now come to an end, with an interim CEO put in place until a permanent replacement can be appointed.
Dutton joined British Cycling in 2023 after a five-year period as chief executive of the Rugby League World Cup. He has been appointed to one of the most prominent roles in British sport as the new CEO of the British Olympic Association.
British Cycling board member Lee Gibbons has been drafted in as interim CEO, beginning the role on the 13th of July.
“Gibbons brings a wealth of experience from the sports agency sector, other sports rights holders and commercial brands, including nine years at adidas where he ran the sports marketing division,” read a British Cycling statement.
British Cycling say that recruitment for a new CEO is now in its final stages and Gibbons will remain in post until a new CEO is able to join the organisation.
These changes come at a time when the organisation’s board is without a chair, following Frank Slevin’s decision to step down from the position in March due to a bowel cancer diagnosis. Slevin held the role for eight years.
Andy Cook and James Davies have shared the role of acting chair in Slevin’s absence. British Cycling say that a new chair of the board will be announced soon.
Dutton came on board with British Cycling at a turbulent point in its history, during which the organisation lost around 200,000 members shortly after petrochemical company Shell made an agreement to become a major sponsor – a deal which was struck before Dutton’s stint in charge.
British Cycling has also faced recent criticism for its policy that stopped transgender women from competing in female racing categories.
Dutton led a period of strategic change within British Cycling, seeking to boost its social impact and instilling a new mission statement to ‘bring the joy of cycling to everyone’, while working to grow the sport as one that is more accessible and inclusive.
He told Cycling Weekly last year that he hopes to see Great Britain & Northern Ireland’s Olympic selection over the coming cycles “to be truly representative of society.”
“We want cycling across Great Britain to represent society, and it is clear in some areas that is not the case,” he added.
Under his tenure, British Cycling played a key role in bringing the 2027 Tour de France grand départes to British soil and also stepped in as the organisers of the Tours of Britain.
“The finish line has arrived far sooner than I had anticipated,” Dutton wrote in a post on LinkedIn signalling the end of his time with BC.
“This journey has been a rollercoaster of challenge, joy, and everything in-between. I’m eternally grateful for the humbling opportunity to lead such a magnificent organisation.”
“It’s been a privilege, an honour and a pleasure,” he added. “I’ve made mistakes, some will cheer my time on while others will jeer, but I leave knowing I’ve given it my all.”
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