Shaun Dawson has been Chief Executive of the award winning Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) since1997. Shaun is responsible for the strategic development and management of the 10,000 acre park which serves residents of London, Hertfordshire and Essex and is a major sport and leisure destination for the South East, attracting over 4.5m visitors every year.

The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority has guaranteed the future of four London 2012 venues. After the Games the Authority will own, fund and manage:
• Lee Valley White Water Centre just north of the M25, near Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire
• the spectacular Velodrome and Lee Valley VeloPark in the Olympic Park
• and Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centres at the northern end of the Olympic Park

The Park Authority will deliver a very tangible early legacy to the London region by opening Lee Valley White Water Centre in spring 2011 – a full year before the London 2012 Games. This is the only brand new London 2012 venue to open before the Games and visitors, including school groups and absolute beginners, will be able to canoe and raft the rapids ahead of the Olympians.

Owners of three venues and 35% of the parklands in the Olympic Park, LVRPA is working closely with the Olympic Park Legacy Company to determine the most effective and economic ways to deliver a popular and vibrant visitor focused Olympic Park destination.

Before joining LVRPA Shaun enjoyed success through a 25 year career in the leisure industry in both the public and private sector.

He has fulfilled a number of non executive positions. Shaun was a governor on the board of Middlesex University from 1999 to 2004. In 2010 he was appointed Regional Champion for Community Sport for London, one of nine Ministerial Regional Champion appointments across England. Shaun is also on the board for East of England Tourism.