Racing Centre

Lisa receives her award from Ahsan Hussain of Kings (UK) Ltd.

Lisa Hancock, Managing Director of Newmarket Racecourses from October 2000 to November 2007, was named “Business Personality of the Year” at the 2007 Newmarket Business Association Awards Dinner.

The Newmarket Business Association Awards are to both highlight and celebrate the wealth and diversity of business expertise in Newmarket and to reward the high standards attained. The dinner was held in the Millennium Grandstand at the NatWest Rowley Mile Racecourse on Friday 14th December 2007.

Lisa Hancock joined Newmarket Racecourses as Managing Director in October 2000 at the age of 28, the youngest ever female MD of a major British racecourse (and probably the youngest of either sex).

During her time at Newmarket, Lisa achieved a steady flow of successes. Listed below are a few key examples:

• The immensely impressive growth of prize money from £5.5m in 2000 to a projected £9.2m in 2008.
• The huge growth in sponsorship, such that nearly 90% of Newmarket's races are now sponsored and new ground was broken in 2006 when NatWest was unveiled as sponsor of the Rowley Mile, the first title sponsorhip of a racecourse in Britain.
• The huge step forward for the Newmarket Nights on the July Course, with massive, sell-out acts like Ronan Keating, Atomic Kitten, Texas, the Sugababes and Madness taking over from tribute acts and less well known stars who had performed to a half full racecourse in the past.   
• The £10m redevelopment of the July Course, which has drawn universal praise right across the board, became a reality this year thanks to the success of the Newmarket Nights and prudent accounting across the business.
• Customer service levels have reached new heights (all customer-facing staff went through the "Welcome Host" customer service training programme in 2006) with regular positive comments from racegoers.  
• Both racecourses qualified for Scope's Access Awards 18 months ago, demonstrating that Newmarket Racecourses are at the forefront of opening up racing to disabled racegoers.  
• The Newmarket Festival was launched this year by the racecourse, built around Newmarket's major summer race meeting, the Ritz Club July Festival.  While it was always going to take a few years to build it into something for the entire community to participate in, it got off to a very positive start.

“There is no question that Lisa was immensely successful in her role at Newmarket,” said Gaynor Haxby, Marketing Manager of Newmarket Racecourses. “She was loved by her staff, praised by her customers and held in the highest regard by local trainers and the media and I am sure they would all join me in congratulating her on receiving this award.”

Lisa stood down from her role as Managing Director at the end of Newmarket’s 2007 racing season to spend more time with her husband and two young children.

Judge's comments: 

“The winning personality for 2007 is a business person who has made a real difference to an iconic business in the town. This person’s leadership has taken the organisation forward, strengthened links, developed its offering and provided the region with a tourist magnet to be proud of.

Her boss, Richard Hambro, chairman of Newmarket Racecourses, commented: “Over the past three years, I have been honoured to work with someone of Lisa’s exceptional talent."

“She has the rare ability of being able to communicate successfully with all our customer groups, from owners and trainers to sponsors and race goers. She has been an extraordinary asset to both Newmarket and Jockey Club Racecourses.”

He added: “On a personal note, I shall miss Lisa greatly, as will all those who have worked with her at Newmarket.”