Premiership Rugby
Premiership Rugby, English rugby union’s top flight, has confirmed the appoint of Simon Massie-Taylor as its new chief executive.
Massie-Taylor arrives from the Rugby Football Union (RFU), where he worked as the organisation’s chief commercial and marketing officer since September 2016. Prior to that, he held commercial director roles at the British Olympic Association (BOA) and Tough Mudder in New York.
Massie-Taylor’s start date at Premiership Rugby will be announced in due course.
Premiership Rugby added that the appointment was a key moment for the organisation as the business ‘moves to accelerate development of the full potential of the league, for the benefit of the players, the clubs and our fans’.
The hiring of Massie-Taylor comes after it was announced in April that Darren Childs would be stepping down as Premiership Rugby chief executive to act as an advisor to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners, which owns a 27 per cent share in the top tier Gallagher Premiership.
“As we emerge out of the Covid period it’s an important time for our sport,” said Massie-Taylor. “I am looking forwards to investing behind our product, working together with the talented team at Premiership Rugby, our clubs, owners and investors.”
Andrew Higginson, chairman of Premiership Rugby, added: “Simon’s deep knowledge of commercial matters, passion for and understanding of the sport makes him uniquely placed to support Premiership Rugby in becoming the most competitive and exciting rugby league in the world.”
Elsewhere, former Croatia President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović has been appointed to chair the International Olympic Committee (IOC) panel responsible for identifying and recommending hosts of the Olympic Games.
Leo Mindel, co-founder of sports digital agency Sotic, will step into a new role as non-executive chairman to its board of directors.
Appointments
Marion Rousse
Director, Tour de France Femmes
Notes: Having retired from professional cycling in 2015, Rousse has worked as a consultant for France Télévisions and since 2019 has taken part in race organisation as the deputy director of the Tour de la Provence.
DeMaurice Smith
Executive director, National Football League Players Association (NFLPA)
Notes: The NFLPA’s board of representatives has voted to retain Smith for a fifth term that is set to last until 2023.
Amanda Vandervort
President, USL Super League
Previously: Chief women’s football officer, Fifpro
Dominic Curran
Managing director, Americas, MKTG
Previously: Head of sports, Gravity Road
Jay Kaufman
Executive vice president, head of sports, National Research Group (NRG)
Previously: Senior vice president, global research and insights, National Basketball Association (NBA)
Kara Allen
Chief impact officer, Spurs Sports & Entertainment
Previously: Chief executive, Umoja Student Development Corporation
Emily Norell
Tournament director, golf, Excel Sports Management
Previously: Director, tournament business affairs, Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA)
Rory Woolston
Head of blockchain strategy, KIN Partners
Previously: Partnerships and endorsements, Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
Roy Anderson
Chief financial officer, Allied Esports
Previously: Partner, Mazars USA
Richard Norton
Head of commercial partnerships and strategy, eSkootr Championship
Previously: Senior consultant, The Sports Consultancy
Nick Webborn
Chair, British Paralympic Association (BPA)
Previously: Webborn has been appointed chair for a second term, having held the role since 2017.
Nick Fry
Non-executive chairman, McLaren Applied
Previously: Chief executive, Mercedes Formula One Team
Departures
Earl Eddings
Chair, Cricket Australia (CA)
Notes: CA said Eddings believed his decision to step down ‘was in the best interests of cricket and would provide the opportunity to continue the ongoing board renewal process’. Current director Richard Freudenstein has been elected chair of CA and will serve until a permanent successor to Eddings is elected, with plans to have the new appointment in place by the end of the year.
Carsten Schmidt
Chairman of the board, Hertha Berlin
Notes: Schmidt is leaving the German top-flight soccer club for personal reasons. The 58-year-old’s duties will be taken up by managing directors Fredi Bobic and Ingo Schiller.
Daniel von Busse
Chief operating officer, Sport1
Notes: DWL.de reports that von Busse will depart the German broadcaster at the end of October to take on new professional challenges. Daniel Grässle, Sport1’s head of social media, is also exiting the network and will be replaced by Lucas Lampen.
