News
Scottish F.A. appoint Stewart Regan as Chief Executive
July 28 2010
THE Scottish FA has announced the appointment of Stewart Regan as Chief Executive.
The 46-year-old joins after four years as Chief Executive of The Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Previously, Stewart was Director of The Football League Championship, where he led the rebranding and rejuvenation of the second tier of English football
Click here for Scottish F.A. release
Eccles to Head Marketing and Communications at The Football Association
March 18 2010
The Football Association has appointed Sky’s former Communications chief Julian Eccles to the new role of Group Director of Marketing and Communications. The position has oversight of a number of functions including public relations, customer relations, media relations, marketing, public affairs and corporate social responsibility.
Mr Eccles was Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs at BSkyB from 2000-05. He is currently Communications Director at the media and telecoms regulator Ofcom. Previous roles include Special Adviser at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Associate Director at the international PR agency Hill & Knowlton, part of the WPP plc marketing group.
The FA conducted a comprehensive recruitment process for this role commencing with a national newspaper advertisement and the involvement of an executive search firm. A strongly competitive field of candidates was considered by a senior FA panel.
Click for link to The Football Association Press Release
Darren Eales Joins Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
March 2 2010
The Club is delighted to announce that Darren Eales will be joining the Club at the end of the season when Club Secretary, John Alexander, leaves to take up his new position at Manchester United. Darren joins us from West Bromwich Albion Football Club.
Darren started his professional career as a footballer playing in the USA in the A-League following a collegiate career in the Ivy League. He graduated in Economics at Brown University before returning to London and qualifying as a Barrister after reading law at Cambridge University. Darren spent 6 years as a Barrister in private practice dealing with sports, media and employment areas of law. In 2006 he joined West Bromwich Albion where he holds a wide-ranging role encompassing the responsibilities of Club Secretary, Board Director and Legal Director.
Daniel Levy, Chairman, said, "We are delighted that Darren has agreed to join the Club. He brings with him excellent skills and a broad experience which will serve us well at a time when we are delivering a state-of-the-art new training facility."
Click for link to Tottenham Hotspur Club Announcement
Manchester United Appoint New Club Secretary
December 20 2009
Manchester United has appointed John Alexander, currently Club Secretary at Tottenham Hotspur, as only its fifth Secretary since the War. He will take up the post when Ken Ramsden retires at the end of the season.
His appointment follows a recruitment process with Nolan Partners which attracted many high quality applications from the world of football and beyond. John will join the Group Executive committee at the Club.
David Gill welcomed the appointment. He said: “John is the perfect candidate to succeed Ken. He is a real football man with a wealth of experience in the game. Everyone is delighted that he has accepted the chance to play a major part in the Club’s development. The Club would like to thank Spurs for their co-operation during this process, in particular agreeing to John’s early release from his contractual obligations, which allows us to ensure continuity in the post when Ken retires.”
John Alexander said: “I am honoured to be offered the chance to be the Secretary at the world’s biggest football club. I have a series of very hard acts to follow, but I am looking forward to working with Sir Alex, David Gill and the team. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Tottenham and leave with very happy memories. I would like to thank Daniel Levy, the Board and all my colleagues there for all the help and support I have received."
Click for link to Manchester United Website
2009 Global Sport Summit
October 26 2009
This year Nolan Partners joined hands with the NFL, Economist and Visa to bring to life the third annual Global Sport Summit which was exclusively reserved for 150 of the most influential figures in global sport.
With speakers including Roger Goodell (Commissioner; NFL), Robert Kraft (Owner; New England Patriots), Joel Glazer (Owner; Tampa Bay Bucanners and Manchester United), Paul Deighton (CEO; LOCOG), David Hill (Chairman and CEO; Fox Sports) and Herbert Hainer (CEO; Adidas) the conference fulfilled its promise to bring leaders across the sporting globe to collaborate on tackling the issues of today and look to the future of professional sport.
Amongst the topics covered on the day were:
- The power of sport
- Developments in sports sponsorship
- Broadcasting rights and wrongs; time for re-valuation?
- The worldwide economic outlook
- How are sports business models evolving?
- Reaching out to a new generation of fans
- Sport as an engine of social regeneration
Paul Nolan commented; “This was an outstanding event with which we are proud to be associated. The chance to learn from one another and understand the various issues that face sport on a global, as well as local level, is vital as part of our industry’s ongoing growth. The NFL and the Economist, have always led the way and this conference is an exciting addition to the sporting calendar."
Click here for full Summary Report on the Global Sport Summit
SPL names new Chairman
October 15 2009
The Scottish Premier League today announced the appointment of Ralph Topping as Non-Executive Chairman.
Ralph succeeds Lex Gold, who stepped down at today’s General Meeting after over 10 years in the role. Ralph becomes Chairman of the SPL with immediate effect and will continue in his role at William Hill.
Ralph Topping, 58, is Chief Executive of William Hill PLC, one of the UK’s largest bookmakers, where he is responsible for strategic direction and the day-to-day management and profitability of the Group's operations. Ralph was born and raised in West Lothian and worked in the shadows of Hampden Park in his first job with William Hill in the early 1970s.
Commenting on his appointment, Ralph Topping said: “I am very excited to be joining the SPL in a role that marries three of my greatest passions – business, Scotland and football. I’ve spent many afternoons on the terraces and in the stands across Scotland over the years and I am confident that this first-hand knowledge of the sport, together with my Scottish background, will allow me to successfully contribute to the SPL’s development. I’m looking forward to working with the wider Board, the management team and the Clubs to continue to cultivate the Scottish game.”
Scottish Premier League Press Release
SPL appoint new Chief Executive
July 7 2009
The Scottish Premier League today announced the appointment of their new Chief Executive, Neil Doncaster. Neil was introduced to the clubs today.
Neil, aged 39 and raised in London, formerly held the post of Chief Executive at Norwich City FC. His experience in football governance is also broad having been a Director of both the FA and the Football League south of the border.
Lex Gold, Chairman of the SPL, said: “We have been engaged in a detailed recruitment process for some time now. The role attracted international interest.
"Neil was the unanimous choice of those involved in the process. He has had excellent experience in club football with Norwich City and with his involvement with the FA and the Football League. That experience will hold him in good stead to lead the SPL team and deal with the challenges that lie ahead.”
Neil Doncaster, Chief Executive of the SPL, said: "I’ve worked in football for fifteen years and I am excited about now playing a part in developing the Scottish game.
"The SPL already has excellent standing in European football but like all football organisations it faces many complex issues and challenges. I am looking forward to working hard with the Board, our member clubs, our partners and the SPL staff to continue to improve our competition and push Scottish football forward."
Scottish Premier League Press Release
Watmore’s striking impact
June 15 2009
Ian Watmore, the FA’s new chief executive, has been applauded, rightly, for travelling to England’s match against Andorra at Wembley by bus and on foot, in accordance with advice given to supporters once it had become clear that the Tube strike would go ahead. A duller man would have gone by limo; there were enough excuses, notably precedent, to do so.
Equally admirable, though, was Watmore’s decision not to fly to Almaty for the Kazakhstan match four days earlier. After sounding out senior FA figures, he deemed it more productive to stay in London and work than enjoy the comforts of the official trip and the company of Fabio Capello and his squad.
Good thinking. In Lord Triesman, who appointed Watmore, the FA has an obvious and assertive independent chairman; what it requires from Watmore is not more politics and glad-handing but the brainpower he supplied in business — he made his money building up Accenture, the international management consultancy — then the Civil Service, where he latterly served as Permanent Secretary at the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills.
Much has been made of the increased teamwork of the England players under Capello’s guidance. It looks as if improvements have been made off the field, too. The stronger the people, and the more defined their roles, the better it will be for our football, because a robust FA is the only hope of progress.
Scottish Premier League - Chief Executive Search
June 10 2009
Despite the considerable problems facing the Setanta-bankrolled Scottish Premier League, there is still a short-list of quality candidates, drawn mainly from English football by sports specialist headhunters Nolan Partners, for the vacant chief executive’s post.
Watmore Appointed
February 18 2009
The Football Association today confirmed the appointment of Ian Watmore as Chief Executive.
The FA Board interviewed three candidates in London yesterday. Following the meeting, Mr Watmore, 50, was offered the role. He has accepted the offer and is expected to take up the position at The FA in June.
The FA Chairman, Lord Triesman, said: "The FA Board are delighted to have appointed an outstanding new Chief Executive and we look forward to Ian joining us. We had a very strong shortlist of candidates, but in Ian we have the right person to lead the organisation as Chief Executive Officer.
TurfTV looks to appoint first managing director
February 15 2009
The decision by betting-shop pictures provider TurfTV to appoint its first managing director is evidence of confidence in its future, according to executive chairman Alan Morcombe. He explained: “There’s a considerable opportunity to continue to develop the business and to make TurfTV the dominant player in providing its television channel to betting shops, and the appointment of a managing directors is seen as key to achieving this.”
Identifying suitable candidates for interview is in the hands of experienced sports head-hunters Nolan Partners, which found Paul Roy and Nic Coward as chairman and chief executive of the BHA, and recently placed Maurice Watkins and Ian Taylor in the most senior posts at the new Greyhound Board of Great Britain
Sport Business International - Aiming for Top Talent
February 2009
Paul Nolan – founder of sports executive search specialist Nolan Partners... “I worked as HR Director at The Football Association for 6 years before forming this consultancy. And what that taught me was the complexity of working in multi stakeholder environments. Finding the right person in the sports industry isn’t just about them having the right business capabilities, it’s about how they cope with the sector’s unique challenges.” Nolan, whose recent assignments have includes search and selection of chief executives for The FA, Wembley Stadium and the British Horseracing Authority, says the situation is particularly complex with governing body roles. “Executives in governing bodies operate right at the heart of the multi-stakeholder nexus,” he says. “Not only do they have to work with public and private organisations, they also have a board which is made up of people who have in successful in other fields of industry. That kind of role requires great political and diplomatic expertise.”
For excerpts from the article in Sport Business International please click on the link below.
FT Sport Industry Summit Round-up
November 4 2008
The highly successful 2008 FT Sport Industry Summit generated numerous articles which can be accessed on the link below.
FT Sport Industy Summit
October 2009
Leading executive head-hunting firm Nolan Partners is putting itself at the forefront of the debate over leadership in sport by sponsoring a high-powered panel on the subject at the FT Sport Industry Summit 2008 on 4 November to discuss the role leadership plays in sport and business as well as advising delegates as how best to move forward in these challengin economic times.
www.sponsorshipnews.com
FA's fifth out of ten
September 29 2008
Football Association chairman Lord Triesman has picked a former FA employee to find the next chief executive of the organisation. Paul Nolan, who used to be the HR boss at Soho Square before setting up his own headhunting operations Nolan Partners, has won the tender to unearth the FA's fifth chief executive in a decade.
Barking up a New Tree
August 6 2008
Manchester United's club solicitor, Maurice Watkins, has accepted the position of chairman of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Watkins will remain on the United board, where he has served for almost 25 years. Ian Taylor, who was the goalkeeper in Great Britain's gold-medal-winning hockey team at the Seoul Olympics in 1988, will become chief executive, charged with building on the 2.4m regular spectators that give dog racing the UK's third-highest cumulative attendances. Watkins and Taylor, formerly chief executive of sportscotland and London Irish rugby club, were delivered by the headhunter Paul Nolan for the roles.
Celtic appoint International Development Director
July 4 2008
CELTIC Football Club are delighted to announce the key appointment of Jason Hughes (36) as Director of International Development.
Paul Nolan, commented; “As one of the biggest brands in world Football, working with Celtic has been a privilege. We believe there will be many more of this type of appointment in top sports organisations as the issues of international expansion and globalisation continue to move up the strategic agendas.”
Wembley leaves loans to the new man
June 18 2008
Talks over refinancing Wembley's £322m in outstanding bank loans have been shelved until a replacement can be found for the stadium company's outgoing chief executive, Alex Horne.
The search for Horne's £300,000-a-year successor - a vacancy created last week when he was appointed the Football Association's chief operating officer - will be led by head-hunters Nolan Partners. Their chief executive, Paul Nolan, knows the sports executive circuit well having spent six years as the FA's human resources director before setting up on his own two years ago.
Scudamore bids to gain lost ground
May 8 2008
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, under pressure as never before following the shattering demise of his International Round initiative, has been given the platform to explain fully what went wrong and restore his previously gilded reputation.
Scudamore is to be the subject of the Sports Industry Interview at London's Bloomberg Studios on June 11 in front of an invited audience of 250 leading executives, handpicked by the organisers and event sponsors Nolan Partners, sport's top headhunting firm.
Nolan Partners appointed by Manchester City
November 19 2008
Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has indicated he wants to take more of a back seat at Eastlands by starting a job search for an executive chairman...
...The job search is being handled by sports specialist headhunters Nolan Partners, who have recently filled top jobs for the League Managers' Association, Honda F1, Spurs and British Horseracing.
Football bowled over by Bevan
August 31 2007
Cricket union Chief Richard Bevan is set to be unveiled next week as the surprise new boss of football's League Managers Association.
The appointment of Bevan, the highly regarded chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, is a major change of policy for the football body, who have previously recruited former managers from within the game.
He is understood to have been the unanimous choice of panel members Howard Wilkinson, David Pleat, Dave Bassett and Frank Clarke. The selection was rubber-stamped by the full LMA committee at Manchester United's Carrington training ground earlier this week.
...Bevan certainly meets the job description, having turned the previously ineffective cricketers' trade union into a sponsorship-rich body recognised as a power in the game.
WRU appoint new Head of Marketing
August 29 2007
A new Head of Marketing to maximise the impact of rugby and the Millennium Stadium on Wales and the world has been recruited by the WRU.
Gwyn Dolphin is a senior marketing executive who has worked at the highest level building major brands which are household names around the globe.
Honda Racing F1 appoint new Marketing Director
July 30 2007
The Honda Racing F1 Team is pleased to announce the appointment of David Butler to the position of Marketing Director. David joins the team from Laureus, where he was Marketing Director for the Laureus Sports Awards, the Laureus World Sports Academy and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
Bosses seek a boss
May 17 2007
The League Managers Association have taken the first steps in replacing chief executive John Barnwell by putting a job ad in tomorrow’s Sunday Times.
The headhunter is Paul Nolan, who is also searching for a Honda F1 marketing boss, and knows all the likely contenders in the football industry from his previous job as the head of human resources at the FA.
Nic Coward to lead British Horseracing Authority
November 20 2006
Nic Coward has been appointed as the first Chief Executive of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), the new governing and regulatory authority for British Racing.
Coward, 40, will work alongside BHA’s first Chairman Paul Roy – whose appointment was announced last month – from the organisation’s inception early in 2007, when it will assume the current governance role of the British Horseracing Board (BHB) and the regulatory functions carried out by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority (HRA).