Board Members
Here you can find out who sits on our board.
David P Allvey
Chairman of Arena Coventry Ltd
Appointed 2006
External Appointments: Chairman of Costain Group PLC, Senior Independant Director of Friends Life PLC.
With a career that started in Civil Engineering, as a Chartered Accountant David has held positions in major international businesses including Group Finance Director for BAT Industries plc, Barclays Bank plc and Chief Operating Officer for Zurich Financial Services.
David is currently the Chairman of Costain Group plc, Arena Coventry Ltd and Senior Independant Director of Friends Life plc.
Previous appointments have been, Board member of the UK Accounting Standards Board, Senior Independant Director of Intertek plc, Senior Independent Director of William Hill plc and Non-Executive Director for Thomas Cook Group plc, which he has recently left after 9 years of service.
Daniel Gidney
Chief Executive of the Ricoh Arena
Appointed: 2006
External appointments: Chairman of the Tourism Taskforce and Board Member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership; Governor of Foxford School in Coventry; Advisory Board member for Coventry University Business School; Chairman of the Employment and Skills Board for Coventry and Warwickshire.
Skills and experience: Youngest district councillor when he was elected in Stratford-upon-Avon when he was aged 25. Daniel spent nearly seven years at Clear Channel (now Live Nation) and prior to that was instrumental in a management buyout of Hollywood Bowls Ltd in Scotland. Before joining the Ricoh Arena, he ran Sodexho’s Hospitals Division and during this four-year period, he took the division from over £3 million losses to over £3 million profit.
Peter Knatchbull-Hugessen
Board Member of Arena Coventry Ltd
Peter Knatchbull-Hugessen
Appointed: 2006
External appointments: Clerk to the Trustees of the Alan Edward Higgs Charity.
Skills and experience: Chairman, The Alan Higgs Centre Trust, Trustee, The Living Environment Trust, Charity Administrator and Associate Director, The Coventry Mysteries Company, Member, Hastings Borough Bonfire Society, Director, Swan Lane Wharf Ltd, Director, OCF Property Management Ltd and Director, Football Investors Ltd.
Dr Martin Reeves
Board Member of Arena Coventry Ltd
Appointed: 2010
External Appointments: Chief Executive, Coventry City Council
Martin has been Chief Executive of Coventry City Council since April 2009. He is also the CEO of the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. He had previously been with Bedfordshire County Council for three and a half years as Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Executive.
Martin was previously Head of Performance Improvement at Westminster City Council in the heart of London. He was also Programme Director for WorkSmart, the City Council’s flagship transformation programme.
Martin spent much of his early career as a lecturer and researcher, and has a PhD in applied economics.
Martin was recently listed as one of the top 50 most influential voices in local government by the Local Government Chronicle.
Chris West
Board Member of Arena Coventry Ltd
Appointed: 2010
External appointments: Director of Finance and Legal Services at Coventry City Council.
Chris was born and grew up in Coventry. He has over 26 years’ experience in Local Government and first joined the City Council as an accountancy trainee in 1985. He has an MA from Oxford University; is CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy) qualified, a member of IRRV (Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation) and has completed the Diploma in Applied Management at Warwick Business School.
Chris had previously acted as Director of Finance and ICT and Director of Education and Libraries at Coventry City Council. He has also held a range of senior management positions during his time with Coventry City Council, including Principal Finance Officer for Housing, Head of Management Services in Children Learning and Young People and Head of Financial Management.
Nicholas Carter
Board Member
Appointed: 2002
External appointments: Director of Hitachi Capital Insurance Europe Ltd.
Skills and experience: Director of Stratford-upon-Avon Music Festival.
Paul Harris
Board Member of Arena Coventry Ltd
Appointed: 2011
External Appointments: Executive Director of Property for Virgin Media appointed Dec 2008. Trustee of Alan Edward Higgs Charity appointed January 2012 and Non Executive Director of Arena Coventry Ltd (ACL). Previously held Board positions at Marconi Communications Ltd, Marconi International Holdings Ltd, The Plessey Company Plessey Holdings Ltd and Plessey International Holdings Ltd
Paul has a diverse background, A Chartered Engineer in Construction, Project Management, Corporate Property, Procurement and Manufacturing Management. In Marconi he was MD/ Executive Vice President responsible for Property across 48 countries and has worked , lived and travelled extensively overseas.
He secured one of the UK's largest Regional Selective Assistance Grants in 2001 (£31m) working with the DTI, as been involved in major financial restructuring programmes and was part of the senior management team who restructured Marconi Plc. He is currently responsible for the effective and efficient use of Virgin Media Group's Properties with a collective budget in excess of £200 m
Paul is married with two football crazy daughters and is a life long Coventry City supporter.
