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Empire Fighting Chance Leadership Changes
We’re proud to announce that we are making some changes to the way we are led to significantly strengthen our ability to transform young people's lives through boxing.
From 1st January, co-founder Jamie Sanigar will become the new Chief Executive of Empire Fighting Chance, with overall responsibility for our work in Bristol and national partnerships. At the same time, our other co-founder, Martin Bisp, will step out of that role to become our new Executive Director for Global Partnerships and Impact. This new role will develop our international work and influence on policy and politics, while raising income to support our work in Bristol.
Jamie Sanigar: Stepping Into the CEO Role
Jamie brings to his new role an exceptional combination of lived experience, professional achievement and deep commitment to our mission of using boxing to fight the impact of inequality on young lives. Jamie grew up just streets away from our boxing gym in inner city Bristol. He spent 20 years in the boxing industry, working alongside his father to run the renowned Bristol Boxing Gym. He's managed a stable of professional fighters, guiding them from their debuts to World Champions, and promoted hundreds of boxing events, from small hall shows to major shows broadcast live on SKY Sports and BBC.
Jamie co-founded Empire Fighting Chance with Martin in 2006 and has served as Chief Operating Officer ever since. Jamie has been providing strategic leadership for our work with young people, while overseeing the development of our staff team and organisational culture. A qualified executive coach, Jamie also draws on extensive entrepreneurial and commercial experience gained through building several businesses within boxing.
Martin Bisp: Leading Global Partnerships & Impact
We're equally excited about Martin's new role. In this dedicated position, Martin will lead the development of our international work. In recent years, a number of countries have approached us seeking to adopt and adapt our psychologically informed boxing programmes. We're now committing our own funding to turn these opportunities into partnerships.
This work will amplify our global impact, elevate our influence, and help to secure our long term financial sustainability. Having grown Empire Fighting Chance from a small community project in Bristol to a leading national sport for development charity, Martin has a proven track record of turning a bold vision into reality. We have every confidence that he will make this next chapter an outstanding success.
“These changes are an exciting platform for us to deepen our impact in our local community of Easton and communities across Bristol, and to share what we’re learning with the boxing community up and down the country through our partners programme. We’ve a talented leadership team in place, and a golden opportunity to take Empire Fighting Chance to the next level at home and abroad.” - Jamie Sanigar
“Our work in Bristol will always remain the core of everything we do, but we have learned a lot about how boxing can turn young lives around, and believe we have a lot to offer any city where poverty and social exclusion destroy young people’s life chances, choices and health. This new role is an opportunity to really export our learning in ways that benefit young people around the world and at home." - Martin Bisp
Strengthening Our Governance for the Next Chapter
Alongside this change to the focus and responsibilities of our co-founders, we’re also recruiting a number of new trustees to help strengthen the governance, support and expertise available to our leadership team.
“In recent years we’ve been busy learning what works for young people and growing our team. We've started to form some exciting new partnerships, share our model with others, and explore the overseas opportunities that have come our way. Now feels like the right time to re-organise a little and set ourselves up for the future. These changes to Martin and Jamie's roles, in addition to some fresh thinking at board level, will ensure we continue to learn, improve, and deliver for young people in Bristol and beyond.” - Dr Simon Newitt (Chair of Board of Trustees)