Structure and Organisation

Tennis Foundation Board


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Sir Geoffrey Cass - President

A past President of the LTA (from 1997-99), Sir Geoffrey Cass was Chairman of the British Tennis Foundation from 2003 until 2007, becoming President of the re-launched Tennis Foundation at that time. Sir Geoffrey, a former Wimbledon player, is also Deputy President of The Royal Shakespeare Company.


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Jonathan Lane - Chairman

Jonathan is an LTA Honorary Councillor being an Independent Non-Executive Director of the LTA's National Tennis Operations Board, whose considerable expertise in property investment and development proved invaluable in the building of the National Tennis Centre.


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Sue Mappin - Executive Director

Sue has played at the top level of the international game, competing at all Grand Slam events and has represented her country on numerous occasions. Through her consultancy (SMC) Sue was approached by The Cliff Richard Organisation to establish and administer a tennis charity. This resulted in the establishment of the Cliff Richard Tennis Foundation. Since 1991 the Foundation poured millions of pounds back into the grass roots of the game. In July 2007 Sue was appointed the Executive Director of The Tennis Foundation, The Cliff Richard Tennis Foundation merged with the British Tennis Foundation to form this new charity and its strategy is to support and promote community tennis across Great Britain.


Sheila Hamilton

A retired Civil Servant, Sheila is a Vice-President of the LTA and was a Main Board member for seven years, four of them as a Council-elected member, before standing down in December 2007. Sheila is Chairman of the Civil Service LTA, a position she has held for a number of years and is also the Company Secretary for her club- Sheen Lawn Tennis and Squash Club- where she is assistant referee for an Open junior tournament and for the Surrey junior County closed event.


John James OBE

John was Secretary of the LTA from 1981-2002; currently an LTA Honorary Life Vice-President, John was President of Tennis Europe for 6 years until March 2008 and still remains actively involved in all aspects of tennis administration both locally (as President of Middlesex LTA), nationally (particularly in relation to the Wimbledon Championships) and internationally.


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Jo Maher

A retired PE teacher, Jo has represented the British Schools' Tennis Association on the LTA Council since December 1984 and is a long-serving member of the LTA's Disciplinary Committee.


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Ian Peacock OBE

A former Chief Executive of the LTA and Chairman of the Golf Foundation, in 2007 Ian was awarded the Arthur Bell Trophy by the CCPR for his contribution to the development of sport.


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John Tucker

An LTA Honorary Life Vice-President, John has been a part of British and Essex County Tennis for more than 50 years. He recently retired as President of Essex County LTA.


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Vic Farrow

Executive with Direct Line Insurance and a member of the companies Board of Directors, plus held responsibility for the Direct Line sponsorships of tennis events and the Cliff Richard Tennis Trail. Trustee of the Cliff Richard Tennis Foundation since 1992 to 2008.


Jo Farquharson

Head of Legal Services at the LTA.


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Tony Hughes - Finance Director

After a number of financial positions in manufacturing companies, in 1981, Tony joined The All England Lawn Tennis Club where he was Financial and Personnel Director, retiring in 2007. He was also Company Secretary of The All England Lawn Tennis Ground Company which uses the money raised from the sale of debentures to finance the Long Term Development plan, announced in 1993, and culminating in 2009 with the completion of the sliding roof over Centre Court and a new No 2 Court.

Invited Board Members


Cathie Sabin

A retired schoolteacher, Cathie is a member of the British Schools' Tennis Association Management Committee and Chairman of the DFS Classic pre-Wimbledon tournament (since 2006).


Sue Wolstenholme OBE

Since being appointed Director of the Lawn Tennis Association Trust in 1988 (which became the British Tennis Foundation in 1997), her aim has been to raise the opportunities and profile for disabled tennis players in this country and the profile of tennis for people with disabilities in general. Sue now works as a consultant for the TF working with the Wheelchair Performance players. She was elected a Vice-President of the LTA in December 2007.


Martin McElhatton

An LTA Councillor since 1998 as a representative of the National Wheelchair Tennis Association of Great Britain, Martin is Chief Executive of Wheelpower- British Wheelchair Sport at Stoke Mandeville. Martin is chairman of the NWTA and president of the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Committee.

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The Tennis Foundations home is the National Tennis Centre, alongside the LTA.

The National Tennis Centre provides a one-site national focus for the sport in Great Britain and offers all players the very best opportunity to realise their potential by offering world-class facilities and back-up.

The Tennis Foundation benefits from being in London and in close proximity to organisations such as the Department of Culture Media and Sport, UK Sport and Sport England, as well as working alongside the LTA.

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