The Lawn Tennis Association, the governing body for the sport in the UK, has appointed David Gregson as its first independent chairman of the board.

Gregson, a director of the London Legacy Development Corporation, the body responsible for the legacy use of London 2012 Olympics venues, begins work at the LTA next month.

He will chair the LTA board, while LTA president Peter Bretherton will continue to promote British tennis, act as the public ambassador for the LTA, and continue to chair meetings of the LTA Council, as well as the annual general meeting.

Away from sport, Gregson is the chairman of Precise Media Group, and of CRI, a UK health and social care charity.

Bretherton said: "David brings a wealth of experience as a leader in the fields of business, the voluntary sector, sport and government. His appointment as independent chairman of the LTA board is another significant step in the modernisation of governance of British tennis, for which the LTA Council must take great credit."

Earlier this year, the LTA Council backed a range of measures designed to further modernise the governance of British tennis, including the recruitment of an independent chairman.

Meanwhile, the LTA has revealed in its financial report that the Wimbledon championships, the UK’s 'grand slam' tournament, posted a record profit of £37.7 million ($60.8 million) for 2012.

The figure was up 7.1 per cent on 2011, and is 47 per cent higher than back in 2008.

The LTA said the record profit was attributable to "continued growth in international broadcast revenue and official supplier income."

Sportcal