Adrian Friend

Adrian runs his own private investment company AF Partners and also acts as Director of several its investee companies. Prior to this Adrian founded and managed several private equity funds focused on central & eastern Europe.

Adrian’s previous Directorships include Director of both Merrill Lynch International Bank Ltd and Merrill Lynch Capital Markets.

Adrian takes an active interest in youth sports development and high performance sports. He is currently Chairman of The University of London Boat Club Trust and a Director & Trustee of Youth Experience in Sport in Hackney. Adrian also Chaired the Management Group of the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (“TASS”) and TASS 2012. He is currently the Director & Trustee responsible for TASS & TASS 2012 at SportsAid where he has been since the inception of TASS. Adrian is also a Director of the English Institute of Sport (“EIS”) and is a member of the UK Sports 2012 Talent ID Group.

Adrian has competed at a national level and represented GB at an international level in both rowing and sailing.

Adrian has a BSc Honours degree from the London School of Economics.

Teachers on board with Blair Sports Foundation

The Tony Blair Sports Foundation passed an important milestone today, when the first batch of local teachers were inducted into the organisation's indoor rowing programme. Nineteen teachers, drawn from 15 schools were put through their paces at Sedgefield Community College... more…

Schools invited to take up tennis challenge

The Tony Blair Sports Foundation has written to primary schools in the North East urging them to take up the challenge of the first annual Tony Blair Tennis Competition for schools. A letter to hundreds of schools, written by... more…

Blair backs rising tennis stars

Tennis in the North East is to receive a huge boost after Roger Draper, chief executive of the LTA announced today the first annual Tony Blair Tennis Competition for schools. One of the main focuses of the new Foundation will... more…

Blair seeking a firm foundation

Tony Blair has outlined his vision for the Tony Blair Sports Foundation, launched today, in an interview with former Olympic rower James Cracknell for the Daily Telegraph. Mr Blair explained that the model for the foundation was to encourage adults... more…

Sedgefield launches Champions' Challenge

Local schools in Sedgefield will be the first beneficiaries of the Tony Blair Sports Foundation’s Champions’ Challenge. Concept2, key delivery partners in the indoor rowing element of the Foundation’s activities, are underwriting the programme in the Sedgefield School Sports Partnership.... more…

Tony Blair issues Champions' Challenge

The Tony Blair Sports Foundation is offering partners an opportunity to align themselves to a unique Wellbeing programme, aimed at schoolchildren and increasingly sedentary workforces. The Foundation’s Champions’ Challenge will link the local business community with the 30 School... more…