Board of Directors

BARRY HEARN - Chairman

Barry Hearn qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1970 and spent several years with a major firm of international accountants before moving into the commercial world as finance director of Kensal House Investments.

After a period in the fashion industry and property development, he became chairman of Lucania Snooker Clubs in 1974 and began to involve the snooker hall chain in amateur tournament promotions.

In 1976 Steve Davis began playing at the Romford Lucania Club and the two struck up a friendship which was to have a major influence on the world of snooker.

In 1982 Riley Leisure acquired the chain of Lucania Snooker Clubs for £3.1 million leaving Barry free to concentrate on the development of snooker, both in the UK and overseas.

With the formation of Matchroom Sport in 1982, Hearn was able to turn his abilities to developing a stable of top snooker players and ultimately produce televised events.

A long-term boxing fan, Barry moved into fight promotion in the late 1980’s and has promoted hundreds of British, European and World title fights for television over the years.

Through the 1990’s Hearn turned a number of niche sports into major TV attractions with a succession of innovative ideas. His acquisition of a majority shareholding in the PDC in 2001, saw him appointed Chairman as the company went from strength to strength.

Into the second decade of the 21st century, Barry Hearn has developed Matchroom Sport into one of the world’s leading independent suppliers of quality sports programming.

Aside from Matchroom Sport, Barry is Chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation, the World Snooker Association, WPBSA Ltd and Leyton Orient Football Club.

EDDIE HEARN – Group Managing Director

Following several years in the sponsorship and event management industry, Eddie Hearn joined Matchroom Sport in 2000 with responsibility for the newly-formed Matchroom Golf management business.

In 2005, he assumed the role of Chief Executive of the PGA Europro Tour and subsequently headed up Matchroom Sport’s rapidly expanding poker and online gaming operations. With the swift growth of the company in recent years, Eddie has assumed the role of Group Managing Director.

He is also a director of Leyton Orient Football Club and the Professional Darts Corporation.

KATIE HEARN – Director of Programming

After graduating with a First Class Honours Degree in Sports/Leisure Marketing, Katie started at Sky Sports in 1997, initially as a production junior before becoming an editorial assistant working on sports such as football, rugby, superbikes and tennis.

She then moved to Premiership Football as an Assistant Producer, becoming the first female to work on the Premiership and International production team, before she became an Associate Producer working on Premier League, FA Cup, England International Matches, Pay Per View Football and European Cup football.

In 2004, Katie moved to Matchroom Sport as Producer/Director of poker programming and new Matchroom ventures. In all she has produced over 50 poker series, and directed all Matchroom’s poker coverage on Channel 4, 5 and Sky Sports. She now oversees all aspects of Matchroom’s TV programming.

STEVE DAWSON – Chief Operating Officer and Group Finance Director

Steve is responsible for the financial and legal affairs of Matchroom Sport Limited and Group Companies.

Since joining Matchroom Sport from KPMG in 1985, he has overseen the growth and development of Matchroom from a single company snooker player management business into the leading sports promotion, sports rights holder and TV production group it is today.

As well as his responsibilities at Matchroom Sport Steve is Finance Director for Leyton Orient Football Club and was instrumental in managing the innovative £25m redevelopment and modernisation scheme at the ground.

When Matchroom Sport acquired a controlling interest in World Snooker in June 2010 Steve was appointed Chief Executive and Finance Director of World Snooker a company that owns and controls the commercial exploitation rights for the world professional snooker tour.

Steve also is responsible for the management of the expanding Matchroom property portfolio.