In line with the newly established governance structures and the company’s ambitious growth plans, RACELAB is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Eliot Forbes to the role of CEO.
Dr Forbes has over 25 years of racing and wagering industry experience, across Australia, Asia and the Middle East. His previous roles have included serving as the CEO of Racing Queensland and the CEO Tasracing, where he was responsible for driving revenue growth through wagering policy and delivered significant financial turnarounds in both states. In his commercial leadership roles, he has negotiated landmark, state-wide wagering and media rights deals across the three codes of racing, grew the international reach of Australian racing content and led the adoption of innovative new racing technologies in Tasmania.
“I’m very pleased to being joining RACELAB at this very exciting time. Together with our strategic partners, RACELAB is ideally positioned to apply our market-leading racing form, informatics and fixed odds expertise to the emerging US market, as well as continuing to provide exceptional products and services to our global customer network. I look forward to working with the Board and the RACELAB team to drive the next level of business success.”
Dr Eliot Forbes
Dr Forbes has also served as an Executive Director of Racing Australia, a Director of Greyhounds Australasia and he was the Veterinary Steward for the Emirates Racing Authority. He was also a member of the national Veterinary and Analyst Committees (VAC) for each of the three codes of Australian racing and a member of Harness Racing Australia’s Standardbred Welfare Advisory Group. He has also worked as a racing official for the racing authorities in the UAE, Macau and Qatar.
At Racing Australia, he was appointed as the inaugural Chairman of Racing Australia’s national Retirement of Racehorses Committee and implemented world-first reforms relating to thoroughbred aftercare. He is a founding member of the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) and continues to serve on IFAR’s Steering Committee. He is a frequent speaker on welfare, aftercare and technology at racing forums around the world.
Dr Forbes holds a Masters of Business Administration from La Trobe University, an honours degree in Veterinary Science from the University of Queensland, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has studied with the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts. He serves as an advisor to several commercial boards in the racing technology and the agricultural sectors.