Rachel Baillache and Rupen Shah have been named as Members of UK Sport by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport.
Rachel Baillache
Appointed as a Board Member (Chair of Audit and Risk Committee) beginning on September 1, 2022 and ending on August 31, 2026.
Rachel has a broad interest in sports. She is the Senior Independent Director of the LTA and leads the Audit and Risk Committee. She is also the sponsor for Inclusion and Diversity on the LTA Board. Rachel is also a Non-Executive Independent Director of Somerset County Cricket Club, where she chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. She serves as the President of the mental health charity Minds@Work.
Rachel was a partner at KPMG for over twenty years, where she served as an audit partner, and a member of KPMG International’s Global Executive for eight years, serving as the global head of people, performance, and culture and the executive responsible for global communications, until her retirement. She has lived and worked widely throughout continental Europe, Asia, and Africa. She was a fellow of the chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a chartered accountant.
Rupen Shah
Appointed to the Board from September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2026.
Rupen’s proximity to Wembley Stadium made it almost difficult for him not to be influenced by top sport from an early age. Whether it was an England home international or the day of the FA Cup Final, the excitement produced in the local community solidified his love and enthusiasm for the sport. Now a prominent champion for sport, Rupen thinks that it can have a transformative influence on people’s lives and on society as a whole.
Rupen, a KPMG chartered accountant, spent a number of years working strategically with high-profile customers and was also sent to India. He went on to become the Chief Financial Officer of the Football Foundation, the United Kingdom’s biggest sports foundation established by the government, the Football Association, and the Premier League. Rupen combines extensive knowledge of commercial, nonprofit, and public finance with a keen understanding of the obstacles that players experience while participating in and competing in sport.
Alongside his professional development, Rupen built a decade-long affiliation with Arsenal FC, which includes several volunteer and part-time positions. This resulted in his delivering local community programmes, coaching clinics in fourteen countries, and mentoring top female players in the Academy, many of whom are or will become Lionesses.
Rupen currently takes pleasure in coaching the next generation of exceptional sports fans, spending time with his family, and travelling the globe. He also maintains his humanitarian efforts to combat inequality by serving as a trustee for Women In Sport and The Legal Education Foundation, among others.
Remuneration and Governance Code
This role is remunerated at £218 per day. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Rachel Baillache and Rupen Shah have not declared any activity.