06 Jun Huddersfield executive, Dr. Delroy Beverley appointed Chairman at Huddersfield Town Foundation

Huddersfield Town Foundation (HTF) has appointed a leading Huddersfield business executive, Dr Delroy Beverley as its new Chair of Trustees. He succeeds the previous Chair, Aidan Grills.

Educated at both Oxford and Cambridge, Dr Beverley has more than 30 years of business and executive leadership across multiple sectors including social housing, health, local government, and non-executive boards.

Dr Beverley has held several high profile non-executive board directorships that have included Ofqual and the British Library where he was also Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Chairman of the Joseph Rowntree Trust Housing Board, part of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation which researches issues surrounding social disadvantages and deprivation within society.

He continues as Regional Chairman at the Institute of Directors for Yorkshire & Northeast, and Board Member at Roffey Park Institute which primes organisations to build business skills for individuals, teams, and organisations globally. He also serves on the EDI External Advisory Group for Huddersfield Town FC.

Notably, in 2014, he was the first ever black chairman of a European business school at the University of Bradford, School of Management, and he was also the first person from within social housing to win a prestigious IoD Director of the Year award, taking home the CSR / not-for-profit award in 2015.

In 2016, the Chartered Management Institute awarded him the highest rank of Companionship status that recognises only the most exceptional accomplished business leaders. Two years later in 2018, he was named by Inside Housing as one of the UK’s top 10 outstanding senior black professionals for business leadership achievements and commitment to inspiring the next generation. In 2023, he was awarded the prestigious Doctor of Letters by the world-renowned University of Warwick in recognition of significant contributions to the intellectual, cultural, and economic life of communities and civil society.

As the Foundations new Chairman, Dr Beverley’s role will include advocacy and influencing on behalf of the Foundation. Externally, he will act as a champion for the Foundation across the region, whilst working in close partnership with Huddersfield Town FC.

Dr Beverley has been welcomed to the Foundation by the organisations Chief Executive, Siobhan Atkinson.

“I am delighted that Delroy has been appointed to the role of Chair. He has an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience in both business and crucially as a skilled chairman, which can only enhance our governance and operations. The Board and the staff team at the Foundation share a combined passion to serve our local community in the best possible way and give everyone who we come into contact with the most promising opportunity to succeed and lead as healthy and fulfilling a life as possible. Sport and football really can change lives and with Delroy at the helm I’m more than confident that we will execute our ambitious plans for the future of the Foundation.”

Commenting on his appointment, Dr Beverley says: his “entire career to date has been devoted to advancing disadvantaged young people. “It is a huge privilege and honour therefore, to be appointed as the new chairman of the Foundation at such an important time. I know from experience that an effective chairman is a skill without parallel. Being able to influence through effective diplomacy is as important as knowing your way around the bottom line, whether it be KPIs or profit margins.”

“I’ve learned that paying real attention matters most; knowing that change is often what’s happening at the margins, not around the boardroom table. In that regard, I will ensure that we listen to what our partners, stakeholders and the community are telling us, and make sure this is reflected in our services.” We ignore those less fortunate communities at our peril. Becoming the Chairman of the Foundation has formalised what I have always felt – that I belong here, and it can become a legacy of my life’s work and a career highpoint.”