About Us

Director
+ 44 (0) 196 271 1491
+ 44 (0) 797 629 9567
ken@tennisfirst.org.uk

Ken Weatherley is the Director of Tennis First. He is a former international tennis player and spent 23 years on the committee of The All England Club, where he was Chair of the Membership, Courts and Ground sub committees. He founded a sports goods company which introduced brands such as Donnay, Sergio Tacchini, Prince and Lotto to the UK; and he was a founding director of Invicta Leisure (later merged into Esporta) where as Development Director he helped add more than 70 indoor courts to the UK stock. A lifetime working in tennis continues as Director of Tennis First where he is intent on helping young players fulfil their potential.

Executive Assistant
+ 44 (0) 7885 781 869
candice@tennisfirst.org.uk

Accounts
+ 44 (0) 7799 147 455

Social Media & Marketing​​
+ 44 (0) 7764 407 036
abbie@tennisfirst.org.uk

Joe chairs the Board of Trustees of Tennis First. Joe is passionate about the potential of sport to change young lives for the better and has a lifelong engagement with sport. As a child, he coxed for top rowing crews including Leander Club. More recently he became a Patron of British Triathlon and a GB age group competitor finishing 16th in his age group at the 2022 World Championships. He is a very keen tennis player and competes regularly. Professionally, Joe led large scale UK businesses for over 10 years – at HSBC, BT and most recently (until June 2022) as Nationwide Building Society’s Chief Executive Officer. Joe’s career started with Procter & Gamble and Dixons/Currys. Joe served as a non-executive director of the Financial Ombudsman Service from 2008-2010 and as Chair of the British Triathlon charity from 2013 to 2021. He was also a Board Member of UK Finance – the industry association – for six years, and a member of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Practitioner Panel for over a decade, including a period as Chair.

Ian Edward graduated from Oxford and started in corporate finance with Bankers Trust in New York, but as his corporate career moved through Bridgepoint, County NatWest and Charterhouse Bank, he developed a passion for the leisure sector. He is currently a co-founder of Hippo Inns and a non-exec of Pizza Pilgrims and Thunderbird Fried Chicken as well as being a senior adviser to Clearwater International.

Brendan graduated from the University of Exeter in 2013 before pursuing a career in tennis. He is passionate about the positive impact that sport can have on individuals and communities. Professionally, Brendan has held positions at The Queen’s Club, the WTA and is now a Director at the ATP Tour. Brendan leads the ATP Tour’s mission to build the next generation of ATP stars, supporting them to grow their global audience and maximise their commercial value away from the court.

Mark Laurence is the Chair of the Tennis First Grants Board. He began his career in 1988 as a transport sector investment analyst with stockbrokers Kitcat and Aitken, before moving to WI Carr and then Smith New Court plc. In 1997, he joined Collins Stewart plc and helped develop the group leading up to its MBO and IPO in 2000. Since 2001, Mark has pursued a career in fund management helping to found Fundsmith in 2010. Mark is also a Non-Executive Director of Jet2 PLC and Chairman of The Tim Henman Foundation.

Chris studied English at Oxford and then law at Cambridge. Since then he has spent 42 years at Clifford Chance LLP as a litigator, mostly in London but also with periods also in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In the 1990s, he ran the firm's litigation practice, and between 2003 and 2021 he was the firm's Executive Partner & General Counsel. Chris has both played and watched tennis enthusiastically for many years, the high point coming in 2014 when he watched Roger Federer in all 4 majors. Chris has been a qualified ATP umpire, took part in both Tennis First’s London to Roland Garros cycle ride and the Florence to Rome ride and now, partly retired, has taken up golf.

Suzi was Director of Sport at Bolton Arena and has coached tennis players at every stage of the performance pathway, from 10U through to WTA Top 100 players. As Director of the Suzi Riley Sport Consultancy Company, Suzi has worked with the LTA, Tennis Australia and UK performance tennis academies. Suzi is an EMCC accredited mentor and a member of the Sport England Women in Coaching Task Force. Suzi is the coach of WTA player Amarni Banks. Suzi grew up in Melbourne Australia, played NCAA Division 1 College Tennis at San Jose State University and is the mother of two boys starting their tennis journey.

Doug Fordham is a partner at Gateley Plc, the first law firm to list on AIM. Doug advises International clients from South East Asia on their UK property investments, and as a result spends much time travelling in China and Singapore. Doug is still a keen and active sportsman playing both tennis and golf, skiing and wake surf boarding when time allows.

Lianne co-founded the Totemic Group - a Filnancial services company, majoring in personal debt solutions and management. She is the Chairman of Grantham Tennis Club and led it’s £3.5m re-development. GTC was awarded Club of the Year in 2022 and has previously won the top award for Disability by the LTA in recognition of its diversity and inclusivity. Lianne is involved in 3 sports charities and manages the Lincolnshire Ladies County Team. She plays masters ITF tennis and has represented GB.