Tom Ryan is the Director of Strategy and International Racing with the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia / Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia // Neville Hopwood

Tom Ryan joined the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia as Director of Strategy & International Racing in May 2019 following a 13-year tenure as General Manager of Naas Racecourse. During this time Naas was completely redeveloped and acclaimed for its innovative and forward-thinking policies.

Significant improvements to the racing surface yielded a major advancement in the flat programme at Naas over recent years which saw it emerge as one of the leading tracks in Ireland. To highlight this, the track was named the AIRO/The Irish Field’s Racecourse of the Year in 2019.

Tom has been a director of the Association of Irish Racecourses for the past nine years. The Association advances the commercial and operational interests of all 26 racecourses in Ireland.

Prior to his time at Naas Racecourse, Tom was involved in several aspects of the racing & bloodstock industries. He spent four years with Coolmore including two sales and breeding seasons in Kentucky. Over a 10-year spell through school and college he rode out regularly for trainer Charlie Swan in Tipperary while also being involved in a small breeding and pinhooking operation on the family farm at home.

Tom holds a degree in Equine Science and a Post Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Limerick.