The British Olympic Association (BOA) has appointed four new members to its California-based advisory group, strengthening its local expertise and connections ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The group, made up of British business leaders based in California, was convened in early 2026 British to provide support to the organisation with local insight and advice, particularly around sponsorship and fundraising. With no government or system-wide funding, the success of Team GB is wholly reliant on the support of partners and patrons, making engagement in key international markets an important part of the BOA’s approach.
Mark Charkin, Peter Hutton, Geoff Seeley and Chris Smith are the latest to join, broadening the group’s experience across technology, investment, marketing and sport, and extending its reach across California.
Charkin is Executive Director of GBx, a community for British founders, technology leaders and investors in the San Francisco Bay Area, and has spent more than 20 years working with venture capital-backed start-ups, while Hutton is the former CEO of Eurosport and Head of Sport at Meta, and currently chairs the Professional Triathletes Organisation and the Wembley Stadium advisory board.
Global marketing and technology leader Seeley has held executive roles at Unilever, PayPal, Venmo, Airbnb, Cash App and Afterpay, and LA-based technology leader Smith is currently a partner in McKinsey’s business building and AI transformation practice, having worked between California and the UK for more than 25 years.
The group continues to be chaired by Colin le Duc, Founding Partner at Generation Investment Management and a Team GB Patron, who brings extensive experience in sustainable investing and long-term capital strategies.
Speaking when the group was established, le Duc said: “It’s a privilege to support the British Olympic Association on the road to Los Angeles 2028. The opportunity to provide local expertise through a British lens, and to contribute to the continued success of Team GB through its commercial and fundraising efforts, is one we are all pleased to be part of.”
The four new members join le Duc and existing members Pete Flint, a fellow Team GB Patron and General Partner at NFX, who has built and backed a number of globally successful technology businesses; Mark Phillips, CEO of Safecypher, who brings expertise in cybersecurity and digital innovation; and Nicole Quinn, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Connect Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on consumer technology.
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