Phil Smith

As the Director of Sport, Phil Smith has responsibility for several areas of the Sport England business.
His team manages long term investments of several hundred millions in various sporting bodies, and giving the subsequent advice to achieve results. The ultimate aim is to ‘transform lives through sport’, which means getting as many people as possible engaged in any sport and physical activity that works for them.
Phil also leads the organisation’s work in talent development and performance, aiming to maintain England and Great Britain’s international sporting success, while making the talent system more accessible to potential athletes from all backgrounds.
He has responsibility for Sport England’s workforce ambitions, helping the people who are the vital infrastructure of community sport – coaches, volunteers and club officials
Phil joined Sport England in 2008 from The Football Association, where his professional career started after Euro ‘96 as the General Secretary of the County FA in Manchester. His football career took him through various roles in the game before becoming The FA’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, responsible for football industry policy in relation to Government in both the UK and international bodies.