Jack Buckner – Chief Executive Officer

Jack is the current CEO of UK Athletics. He commenced the CEO role at UK Athletics in July 2022 as the sport enters a busy summer of international athletics, then starts the build up towards a fast approaching Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Prior to UKA Jack was CEO at British Swimming where he oversaw a hugely successful Team GB performance at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021. The Olympic team claimed a best-ever haul of eight medals with 4 golds including Adam Peaty and Tom Daley as well as a world record in the mixed relay. The Paralympic team was the most successful sport competing for ParalympicsGB with 26 medals won at the Aquatics centre.  Jack was the CEO of British Triathlon before British Swimming. During his time there, British Triathlon led the world with their best ever results at the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics featuring the Brownlee brothers, Vicky Holland and Non Stanford.

Jack is a former European 5000m champion and two time Olympian.  He was one of Britain’s leading distance runners and his times remain in the top 5 on the UK all-time list over 30 years later.  His championship record from the European 5000m in Stuttgart has now lasted 36 years.  He also medalled in the World championships and commonwealth games over 5000m.   After retiring from running, Jack worked for adidas in the UK, Germany and the USA.  Over a 10 year period in marketing, his roles included Head of International Business Units and Marketing Director for adidas USA.  After a spectacularly unsuccessful venture as an apple orchard owner in New Zealand, Jack returned to the UK where prior to British Triathlon and British Swimming CEO roles, he worked as a Strategic Lead for Sport England.  Jack has also spent 8 years as a NED for a NHS Foundation Trust hospital and is a current Trustee of the National Forest.  He has a lifelong commitment to sport from grassroots to the elite.