William Jackson has been appointed as the new Chair of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the governing body for tennis in Britain, based in Roehampton. He will officially assume the role in July 2025, succeeding Lord Davies of Abersoch, who announced his decision to step down in December 2024.
Jackson is the founder of Bridgepoint, a FTSE 250 company specializing in private equity, infrastructure, and private credit. He served as Chairman of Pret A Manger from 2013 to 2018 and has been President of the Board of MotoGP since 2007. He also holds the position of Senior Independent Director at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and chairs Wellington College Education. A passionate tennis player, Jackson is married with three daughters.
The LTA, established in 1888, has a long history of promoting tennis across Great Britain, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. Its first president was seven-time Wimbledon champion William Renshaw. The association operates the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, which serves as its main training facility.
In addition to Jackson’s appointment, the LTA has announced that Roy Colabawalla will become the association’s President in January 2026, following Sandi Procter’s completion of her term. Colabawalla is a corporate partner in a regional law firm, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, private equity, joint ventures, group reorganizations, and commercial transactions.
Growing the sport
With Jackson’s extensive experience in business and a passion for tennis, the LTA is poised to continue its efforts to grow and promote the sport across the nation.
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is the national governing body for tennis in Great Britain. Founded in 1888, the organisation is responsible for promoting and developing the sport at all levels—from community participation and coaching to the elite performance pathway. Through its “Tennis Opened Up” strategy, the LTA has sought to widen the sport’s appeal, aiming to make tennis more accessible, inclusive and welcoming across the UK.
The LTA plays a central role in staging professional tournaments, overseeing competitions such as the Queen’s Club Championships, Eastbourne International and other key grass-court events in the run-up to Wimbledon. It also runs the National Tennis Centre, a world-class training hub for Britain’s top players and coaches. Alongside this, the LTA works closely with clubs, schools and local authorities to increase grassroots participation and improve facilities.
Despite its broad remit and strategic goals, the LTA has attracted controversy in recent years. In 2022, it made international headlines by banning Russian and Belarusian players from participating in UK-based tournaments in response to the war in Ukraine. This decision, mirrored by the All England Club at Wimbledon, led to significant backlash. The ATP fined the LTA $1 million for its actions, while ranking points were stripped from Wimbledon that year, prompting a fierce debate about politics and neutrality in sport.
Padel power
Internally, the LTA has faced criticism over leadership and financial decisions. During Roger Draper’s tenure as Chief Executive, there were concerns about high executive pay and limited success in increasing participation among adult players. More recently, the LTA’s expansion into emerging racket sports has sparked tension. Its drive to promote padel tennis has met resistance from local residents concerned about noise levels, while its bid to take over the governance of pickleball has been branded a “hostile takeover” by the existing pickleball community.
These controversies underline the challenge facing the LTA as it tries to modernise the sport and broaden its appeal. Balancing the growth of tennis and related sports with community interests and international standards is a delicate task. With the appointment of William Jackson as chair, the organisation will be hoping for a steady hand to guide it through this next phase—one that champions innovation without compromising its relationships with players, partners, and the wider public.
