sporta has appointed former lead policy director for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Brian Leonard, as its Chief Executive.

Brian, who began his new post on 12 July 2010, will present and pursue a strategic view of sporta's opportunities as he heads up the organisation's day to day operations and negotiations with Government departments and other stakeholders.

Brian spent 10 years as a senior civil servant at the DCMS and was lead policy director across a number of areas, including for tourism and leisure industries, libraries and communities. During recent years he led policy on, among others, the Licensing Act, film tax negotiations with the EU and the Millennium programme, as well as coordinating the local, regional and European aspects of culture, media and sport policies, and heading up the competition for the European Capital of Culture (won by Liverpool). Brian was also in charge of coordinating the programme to improve participation of priority groups in culture and sport.

Brian has also worked for other Whitehall government departments and held two Government regional director posts in the South West and the North of England.

Brian Leonard, new CEO of sporta said: "I look forward to working with sporta members to help spread the message about how, as social enterprises, they so effectively provide valuable facilities and services for sport, recreation and culture across the UK. I will use my role to help gather, employ and disseminate the group's expertise of leadership in these fields, as well as drawing upon my background in Government policy to ensure sporta's views and opinions are heard."

Craig McAteer, Chair of sporta said: "We are thrilled to welcome Brian to the sporta team and are sure that this new relationship, aided by Brian's well documented expertise, will be key in raising the profile of leisure and cultural trusts and further establishing sporta as a valuable organisation within policy making circles."