Nigel Wood, formerly the chief executive of England's Rugby Football League, has been named as the governing body’s new chair.
Wood was appointed by the RFL Council yesterday, while it also voted in four independent non-executive directors.
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All the candidates had been selected by the RFL Nominations Committee last month, and council members voted in favour of their proposals at a meeting in Salford.
Dermot Power and Jonathan Caine will serve for four years as independent non-executive directors, while Sara Symington has been appointed for three years, and Emma Rosewarne will sit until March 2028.
Wood, who was RFL chief executive from 2011 to 2018, will serve until March 2027 with the option for the new, independent and permanent RFL board to extend his stint by a further fixed term of 12 months.
He returned to the RFL board as senior executive director last year and is now tasked with “driving the governing body forward at a crucial and exciting time for rugby league.”
Wood, also appointed as chair of the RL Commercial arm in June, said: “I am honoured and grateful that members have voted for me to chair the RFL board as we undertake important work in our bid to grow the sport.
“There is much to be enthused about as the Super League celebrates its 30th birthday and we continue to implement the important findings of our strategic review.
“With the rest of the board also now confirmed, I’m looking forward to working together with all of rugby league’s stakeholders as we formulate a strategic plan of delivery and change.”
Wood left the RFL in 2018 to become the chief executive of International Rugby League (then known as Rugby League International Federation), the sport's governing body.
He was involved with IRL for almost 20 years and also had a stint as CEO of England's top-tier Super League.
The RFL is still searching for a new CEO after Tony Sutton stepped down in September. Sutton had been in charge since 2022.
Abi Ekoku is the current interim CEO of the governing body.
