Sports Coach UK, the UK’s technical agency for coaching, has appointed former Royal Mail and Marks & Spencer executive Gillian Wilmot as its chair.

Windsurfing, snowsports and golf enthusiast Wilmot replaces Chris Baillieu MBE, who became chair in 2009 and retires at the end of the year.

She will head up a non-executive team that includes Jackie Bryson, Kevin Bowring, Nick Bunting, Joslyn Hoyte-Smith, Philip Kimberly, Stephanie Maurel, Peter Prince, Bev Smith and Mark Taylor.

An experienced chair and non-executive director, Wilmot has fulfilled roles with Admiral Group, Age UK and International Women’s Forum, as well as winning a 2014 Sunday Times Non-Executive Director (NED) Award for her work with Nisa Retail.

Wilmot is currently the chief executive of Board Mentoring, a company she founded, which aims to increase diversity in the boardroom. She will take this commitment to her new role, by attempting to bring more women and underrepresented groups into coaching.

In 2012, she was appointed to the Industrial Development Advisory Board which advises the government on large investment projects and provides independent business advice to ministers.

“Coaching has a critical role to play in achieving a transformation in the health and fitness of the whole of society,” said Wilmot. “I’m looking forward to developing the new Sports Coach UK strategy, based on our sound foundation of excellence in research, innovation and the technical expertise of our team.”

Rod Carr, chair of UK Sport, said the appointment came at a “critical time with the impending new government strategy for sport”, while Sport England chair Nick Bitel lauded her “outstanding business acumen and vast mentoring experience”.

“With a trailblazing career defined by her ability to innovate and deliver real results, Gillian will no doubt bring her tenacity, energy and know-how to this new role,” Bitel added.