London Marathon CEO Hugh Brasher: 2026 race day was the proudest moment of my career
Each week we dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good. Today, London Marathon Events CEO Hugh Brasher runs through his career highs and lows in Square Mile and Me
CV
- Name: Hugh Brasher
- Job title: CEO of London Marathon Events
- Previous roles: Chairman at Sweatshop retail chain; NED at London Marathon Events
- Age: 61
- Born: Cleethorpes
- Lives: Twickenham
- Studied: Clearly not from my A level results! I left with a C, E and O.
- Talents: Headstands and racing motorbikes
- Motto: Carpe Diem. In my youth whenever I had a difficult challenge, I would watch Dead Poets Society and then do whatever I was avoiding.
- Biggest perk of the job: Having fun every day and exercising when I want – I get to inspire people to be active. It’s an unbelievable privilege.
- Coffee order: Extra hot semi-skimmed cappuccino
- Cocktail order: Espresso martini
- Favourite book: Made in America by Sam Walton. He set me off as a retailer.
- Marathon time: 2:53, I think – it was more than 40 years ago.
What was your first job?
I worked Saturdays at Sweatshop (a specialist running retailer) from the age of 15.
What was your first role in sport/events?
It’s slightly accidental, we opened a Sweatshop in Nottingham and I wrote to the council saying we’d be interested in sponsoring the Robin Hood Marathon and Half Marathon.
They wrote back and said the event wasn’t happening anymore. I replied to let them know we could have helped with some marketing and then they came back and said, ‘thank you for offering to organise it’. I hadn’t, but six weeks later we signed an agreement to become the organiser and 19 weeks after that we delivered the event.
When did you know you wanted to build a career in events?
Two years after organising the Nottingham events, we took on the Reading Half Marathon. At the same time, I was growing Sweatshop; we had about 13 shops back then, and then we started organising running clubs from the stores, which then fed the events.
Sweatshop eventually grew to 43 stores. Along the way, I sold 25 per cent of the business to Mike Ashley at Sports Direct, which was a huge moment. I then became a non-exec director at London Marathon Events between 2007 and 2009.
When the event director role came up, I applied because I’d never seen a job description that fitted me so perfectly and I saw an extraordinary global brand that wasn’t being fully developed, and more importantly, I saw an opportunity to create social impact on a scale far bigger than anything retail alone could offer. I became CEO two years ago.
What’s one thing you love about Canada?
The diversity and the energy. The fact that it carries thousands of years of history while constantly reinventing itself.
And one thing you would change?
The inequality.
What’s been your most memorable business meeting?
My initial meeting with Mike Ashley. The result of this meeting was that he owned 24.99 per cent of my business, I had a £5m loan to expand my business, and we were both committed to growing his running business.
And any business faux pas?
Falling asleep in an interview that I was giving. I’d been awake all night opening the Sweatshop outlet in Selfridges, I went straight into the meeting and simply couldn’t stay awake. Not my finest hour.
Have you run the London Marathon?
Yes. 1983, 1984, 1985 and 2003. I was always more of a track runner though.
What’s been your proudest moment?
Without question, the 2026 TCS London Marathon weekend. It was a day that showed the very best of what this event, and city, can be.
We welcomed 19,500 children onto the start lines for the TCS Mini London Marathon on Saturday. On the Sunday history was made, men’s and women’s world records in the same race, something that had never happened before.
Two men ran under two hours, led by Sabastian Sawe’s astonishing 1:59:30, and Tigst Assefa broke her own women only world record in 2:15:41. The highest number of finishers ever in a marathon, with 59,830 people crossing the finish line on the Mall, setting a new Guinness World Record, and it reaffirmed London as the biggest oneday charity fundraising event in the world, with £87.5m raised so far. But beyond records and numbers, in a world of division, of war and of too much suffering, the 2026 TCS London Marathon showed a city, a country, and the world, that we are far more similar than we are different.
And who do you look up to?
Most people, I am only 5ft 8 inches tall
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever been given?
Be a salmon.
A salmon swims upstream against the flow – basically don’t just follow people, try and do the opposite. More broadly: I try to look at things differently.
And the worst?
Saying yes to this interview.
Are you optimistic for the year ahead?
100 per cent. Always optimistic. If you look for the opportunity, you will find the opportunity, if you look for the danger, you will find that danger. I choose to look for the opportunity.
We’re going for lunch, and you’re picking – where are we going?
Gordon Ramsay’s new restaurant: Lucky Cat at 22 Bishopsgate.
And if we’re grabbing a drink after work?
The Ned.
Where’s home during the week?
Eel Pie Island. It is a magical place to live, surrounded by water in London.
And where might we find you at the weekend?
If I am not attending a running event somewhere in the world, then in a car park in my campervan – waiting for my children who might be diving, rowing, doing athletics or gymnastics.
You’ve got a well-deserved two weeks off. Where are you going and who with?
Skiing. One week with my wife and children, one week with the boys. Proper ski touring, offpiste,
with a guide.