Hugh Brasher was appointed CEO of London Marathon Events (LME) in June 2024, having been the Event Director since 2012, and was a member of the LME Board of Directors between 2007 and 2010.

LME organises more than 20 mass participation events in the UK in running, cycling, swimming and triathlon, including the TCS London Marathon, Brighton Marathon, Royal Parks Half and Big Half. The 2025 TCS London Marathon (ranked the No. 1 Marathon brand in the world) had a world record number of finishers (56,640) and raised more than £80 million for charity. To date more than £1.4 billion has been raised for good causes by the event. More than 1.1 million people applied to run the 2026 TCS London Marathon, making it the most popular marathon on the planet.

The company’s vision is inspiring activity and many of LME’s events have side events over shorter distances for children and families, notably the TCS Mini London Marathon which had 15,000 participants in 2025 and a further 400,000 taking part virtually in schools. In 2025 LME organised a Jr. NBA 3x3 event for London secondary schools in Trafalgar Square.

Hugh is a Director of Diamond League Ventures LLP which organises the Novuna London Athletics Meet (the world’s largest one day athletics meeting) and of European Athletics Championships Ventures LLP, the organisers of the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. He was a co-founder of Athletic Ventures, a joint venture between UK Athletics, The Great Run Company and London Marathon Events, which is bidding to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships in London.

Hugh is also a Director on the Boards of Caledonian Concepts, Friday Night Lights, Maverick Race and Run 4 Wales.

Prior to working for London Marathon Events, Hugh built the largest chain of specialist running shops (43 stores) in the country – Sweatshop. The chain was renowned for its ground-breaking customer service. He sold it to Sports Direct in 2014.

In 2019 Hugh lead the operational side of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, where Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to run a marathon in under two hours.

Hugh’s father Chris Brasher was a co-founder of the London Marathon, pacer to Sir Roger Bannister in the first sub four minute mile and a gold medallist at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. His mother Shirley was a three-time Grand Slam tennis champion, winning the French Open singles in 1957 and doubles and mixed doubles in 1958. 

Hugh worked on the very first London Marathon in 1981 and has worked at every London Marathon since, except in 2005 when he was riding his motorbike from London to Cape Town. When Hugh has spare time he likes to spend it with his family – wife Claire and daughters Skye and Rosie.