British Judo Welcomes Two New Non-Executive Directors
May 19, 2026
British Judo is delighted to announce the appointment of Christopher Donovan and Dr Llyr Jones to the Board of Directors as Non-Executive Directors following a recent recruitment campaign.
The appointments strengthen the Board with a wealth of expertise across governance, strategic leadership, finance, and high-performance sport, while also bringing decades of experience and commitment to judo within the UK and internationally.
Christopher Donovan ACA joins the Board as an experienced Board-level Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with significant expertise in financial leadership, governance, risk management, and organisational growth.
Currently serving as CFO at Horizon Parking Limited, Christopher has extensive experience operating within private equity-backed growth businesses and partnering with Boards and investors on strategic planning and financial sustainability.
In addition to his executive career, Donovan also serves as a Governor at Colchester Institute, providing independent oversight on financial sustainability, strategic planning, and organisational performance.
A lifelong judoka and current 2nd Dan black belt holder with both the BJA and AJA, Christopher has been involved in judo from the age of six. As a club coach and former high-level competitor, Christopher still enjoys competing in veteran events and continues to coach both junior and senior athletes.
Joining him on the Board is Dr Llyr Jones with more than 35 years’ experience working across FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 organisations in complex and highly regulated sectors. A Chartered Director with extensive expertise in strategy, governance, and business development, he has worked closely with executive leadership teams and boards across five continents.
Alongside his professional career, Dr Jones has dedicated much of his life to judo as a competitor, coach, examiner, referee, and technical official. He is currently Chair of the British Judo Association Kata Commission and is recognised internationally for his contribution to kata development and judo scholarship.
A former senior international competitor and national kata medallist, Dr Jones is a 5th Dan, BJA Level 3 Coach, Senior Examiner, and National Kata Judge, having also trained extensively at the Kodokan in Japan.
Chair of British Judo, Gerry Gualtieri, welcomed both appointments:
“We are delighted to welcome Llyr and Christopher to the Board following a highly competitive recruitment process. Both bring outstanding professional expertise alongside a deep passion and understanding of judo.”
“Their combined experience across governance, finance, strategy, and the sport itself will further strengthen the Board as we continue to deliver against our strategic priorities and support the development of judo across the United Kingdom.”
The appointments form part of British Judo’s ongoing commitment to ensuring strong governance, diverse expertise, and effective leadership across the organisation.
