Breaking: Jennie Price to step down from Sport England

Jennie Price will leave her role as CEO of Sport England at the end of October, after 11 years at the helm.

Price took over the role in April 2007, leading the grassroots sport organisation through major reformation – including the development of its new strategy, Towards an Active Nation, which is now in its delivery phase.

During her tenure as CEO, the number of people regularly taking part in sport has grown by 1.6 million.

In a statement, Price said she is leaving to pursue a "portfolio of projects", including her work with the Cranfield School of Management and her chairmanship of the Youth United Foundation, the charity supporting uniformed youth organisations.

“I have been very privileged to lead Sport England for more than a decade," Price said.

"Sport and physical activity is a powerful force for good and I am proud to have worked on opening it up to a wider group of people, especially women and girls through This Girl Can.”

Profile: Jennie Price

Price's appointment as the first female CEO of Sport England was announced in December 2006. She took over the role in April 2007, joining the sports body from WRAP – the Water and Resources Action Programme – where she was CEO.

At WRAP, she led the high-profile, national “Recycle Now” campaign, which turned five million people into “committed recyclers” across England

Before joining WRAP, Price – a barrister by training – had worked in the construction industry for nearly 20 years as a lawyer.

During her time at Sport England, Price personally led the team responsible for the This Girl Can Campaign to help women and girls get active – acknowledged as one of Sport England's greatest successes in getting people more active.

She was awarded the CBE for services to sport in 2017.

A Wolverhampton Wanderers fan, Price has credited her "sports mad father" for teaching her about the power of sport to "create spectacle and engage people" from a very young age.