Chris Townsend

Chris leads KPMG’s infrastructure, government and healthcare practice, supporting the government and wider public sector. He has extensive expertise in bringing together multi-disciplinary teams across the public and private sectors. As a senior commercial and marketing executive, he has led financial and branding operations in broadcast, sports and government entities.

Chris formerly undertook a voluntary role as CEO for the COVID-19 shielding programme, designed to protect 2.25 million clinically extremely vulnerable NHS patients in England from the pandemic.

Previously, he was responsible for all commercial activities at Chelsea Football Club as Commercial Director. Prior to that, as Chief Executive of Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), he oversaw a £1 billion government investment in improving broadband internet access and mobile infrastructure.

Chris was also the Commercial Director for the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) from 2006-2012. The following year, he received an OBE for raising £2.4 billion to fund the London 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

Before that, as Group Marketing Director at Transport for London, Chris led the launch and marketing of the Oyster card. He has also worked as Director of Interactive Services at Telewest Broadband and Marketing Director for BSkyB, where he led the marketing launch of Sky’s subscription channels.