Julia Newton appointed chair of Women in Sport

Women in Sport has appointed Julia Newton as its new chair. Newton is a co-founder of sports marketing agency, Shine Communications, and is currently chair of GB Taekwondo.

An experienced executive and non-executive leader, Newton has also worked for sports equipment Nike during her career.

She said: “As someone who has always championed the cause of women’s empowerment and strongly believes in the life-changing potential of sport, Women in Sport’s remarkable work has long been an inspiration for me.

“Being offered the opportunity to work with this hugely respected and trailblazing charity is genuinely one of the most exciting moments of my career. I am honoured to be chosen to help lead Women in Sport as it continues its ground-breaking research, considered thought leadership and powerful collaborations.

“There has been a significant step change in the way women’s sport is viewed in the UK and it’s fantastic to see sold out stadiums and arenas but there is still a lot to do to ensure women and girls have both equality and equity at every life stage. As a team we must sustain and capitalise on this speed of change and ensure greater access and opportunities for current and future generations so that every single female can enjoy the very real benefits and joy that sport can bring to our lives.”

Newton’s appointment comes as Women in Sport prepares to mark its 40th birthday in 2024.

Stephanie Hilborne OBE, CEO of Women in Sport said: “As we prepare to hit our 40-year milestone we are thrilled to have Julia take on the role as chair of the Board of Trustees and I am looking forward to working closely with her and the Board to continue our excellent work.

“The increased exposure from recent sporting successes provides a platform to expose stubborn gender inequalities that still exist in sport and society. We must continue to support the sports sector as it works to increase opportunities for women and girls to participate in, and lead in sport. We are determined to stamp out wider misogyny and gender bias right from the playground at school to the pitch at Wembley.”