Ontario Racing tabs Andrew Gaughan as next Independent Chair

TORONTO, ON – October 13, 2022 – Ontario Racing’s Board of Directors has announced two significant additions to the Board structure by appointing Andrew Gaughan as the organization’s next Independent Chair and bringing on Jamie Martin as an Executive Consultant to the Board.

Gaughan has nearly three decades of domestic and international experience in the horse racing and pari-mutuel and digital gaming industries.

Gaughan first joined the sector in 1994 as a manager with Woodbine Entertainment Group (then the Ontario Jockey Club), and over the next three decades served in senior leadership positions with WEG, Magna Entertainment Corporation, Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ listed), and Sportech PLC a UK based publicly traded (LSE) gaming technology business.

In these roles Gaughan oversaw operations and business development in several global markets and developed an in-depth knowledge of the executive management skills and business strategies required to operate with a growth mindset in the highly regulated horse racing industry.

“Andrew is the ideal candidate to step into the role,” said outgoing Independent Chair John Hayes. “Over an accomplished career as a senior executive, including the CEO role at Sportech PLC, he developed the skills that will be required to facilitate collaboration with Ontario Racing’s partners and stakeholders and ensure that the industry is well positioned for success in the coming years.”

Gaughan currently owns and operates a consulting practice focused on the global horse racing and pari-mutuel and digital gaming space.  He resides in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Ontario Racing would like to thank Hayes for his thoughtful and dignified leadership over the past five years but is delighted that such an accomplished and capable candidate has filled the role.

​Jamie Martin is contributing to the Ontario Racing Board of Directors in the capacity of Executive Consultant to the Board. Over the previous 30-plus years Martin has held leadership positions with Grand River Raceway, Woodbine Entertainment Group, and the Western Fair Association.

In these roles Martin oversaw a successful bifurcation of Grand River Raceway into its own not-for-profit entity, managed the strategic direction of Woodbine Entertainment Group’s world class thoroughbred and standardbred racing for over a decade, and worked with both the racing and gaming partners of Western Fair Association at various levels of the business.

“Jamie’s experience with both the standardbred and thoroughbred breeds, and his relationships with racetrack and other industry partners across the province make him an invaluable asset to the Ontario Racing Board of Directors,” said Ontario Racing Board and Executive Committee Member Katherine Curry. “We look forward to tapping into his wealth of racing knowledge to help the industry achieve its strategic goals.”

Both Gaughan and Martin begin their roles on November 1, 2022.

From Ontario Racing