The RYA welcome two new faces to its Board

The RYA is delighted to announce the appointment of two new directors of its board- Dr Tony Hockley and Sonali Siriwardena.

Tony Hockley

Tony Hockley, an economist, was elected by the RYA membership. With experience in policy design and delivery, Tony has supported the RYA in the past as a member of the External Affairs and Cruising Committee, tackling challenges related to Brexit and the pandemic. They took a particular lead in areas of work designed to address public perceptions and broaden the appeal of the sport.

An active sailor with experience in both keelboat cruising and racing, Tony is a dedicated RYA instructor and safety boat helm who volunteers regularly. This passion to get others on the water stems from personal learning to sail as an inner-city child with no family background in boating, all thanks to the generosity and support of others.

Tony said: “I thoroughly enjoyed contributing to the important policy work of the RYA as well as grassroots activity at club level. I’ve seen at first hand not only the great work the RYA do for boating, but also how this work is helped by critical challenge from the Board and policy committees. I’m keen to take this opportunity to use my own experience to support delivery of the Together on the Water strategy, to secure the future of the activities and places we enjoy so much”. 

Sonali Siriwardena

Sonali was appointed by the Board and brings extensive knowledge in sustainability matters. She is a partner at an international law firm focused on advancing a sustainable blue economy and her strong ocean network makes her well-positioned to guide the RYA through the rapidly evolving regulatory and policy landscape of sustainability.

Sonali is a keen kitesurfer and an active member of her local ‘on the water’ community. Sonali also serves as a Trustee of an ocean conservation charity and is the Chair of the largest social lending charity in the country.

Commenting on her appointment Sonali said: “The RYA’s strong heritage and significant reach makes it uniquely positioned to influence the blue sustainability agenda. I look forward to supporting the RYA in its ambition to be a leading voice for sustainability in sport by tackling the key environmental and social issues impacting the recreational water sports sector”.

Sonali added “Kitesurfing has earned its place in the RYA sailing family not least given the UK’s recent Olympic gold. As an active member of a vibrant kitesurfing community in West Sussex, I will bring my lived experience to inform the RYA’s vision to grow the discipline from its grassroots status to a mainstream sport. 

Future vision

The role of the RYA Board is to supervise the management of the Association’s business and to discharge the responsibilities of the directors under the Companies Act and in compliance with the Code for Sports Governance, which sets out the levels of transparency, accountability and financial integrity required from bodies that receive Government and National Lottery Funding. 

RYA Chairman, Sir Michael Arthur added: “I am delighted to welcome both Tony and Sonali to the RYA Board. Their vast knowledge and experience will be invaluable as we continue to deliver our Together on Water strategy”.

Tony and Sonali officially start their roles in January 2025.

Read more information about the role of the RYA Board.