HULL KR’S latest board member is new to Rugby League but was persuaded of his potential value to the club by their new Chairman Paul Sewell.
The Robins have had a significant change in personnel behind the scenes in the off-season, a process started by the appointment of Sewell, who chairs East Hull company Sewell Group, the sponsor of the Robins’ Craven Park home, which the club purchased last year.
Businessman and lifelong Hull KR fan James McNichol, the son of former club chairman Colin, then joined the board of directors.
Now David Kilburn, the co-founder of MKM Building Supplies, has also joined the board alongside Sewell, chief executive Paul Lakin and owner Neil Hudgell.
MKM have been a major sponsor of Hull City football club for more than 20 years, and currently have naming rights to the stadium they share with the Robins’ arch rivals Hull FC.
While Kilburn admits to knowing far more about the round-ball sport than the oval-ball one, he was persuaded by Sewell to come on board.
“As someone who’s not been a fan of Rugby League previously, this is an opportunity for me to understand the game and help see if I can lift the Robins into being the team at the top again,” said Kilburn.
“When Paul Sewell asked me if I was interested in joining the board, I was flattered but I reminded him that I’m a football man.
“However, he soon convinced me that I could contribute, and that he and the rest of the board had plans to take the club on a journey of success.
“I’m really looking forward to getting involved and understanding much more about the club, and the opportunity to help with its future.”
Sewell hailed Kilburn as “one of the outstanding entrepreneurs and business people of his generation” as he outlined Hull KR’s intention to bring further people into the club.
“We feel this a great start to the recruitment of our board, and we will add more to create a team working together as one,” said Sewell.
“Discussions with others, to give us the balance we need, are progressing well, and we anticipate being able to make further announcements shortly.”
Meanwhile, the Robins have agreed a two-year extension to the contract of young back Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, keeping him at the club until the end of 2025.
Laulu-Togaga’e, who joined Hull KR from Keighley Cougars a year ago, said: “It shows that Willie (Peters, head coach) is pretty happy with what he’s seen so far from me.
“Coming into this professional environment just over a year ago has helped me develop massively already.”
