The Rugby Football League today has confirmed that Ralph Rimmer has been appointed as the new CEO of the organisation with immediate effect.
Rimmer has been acting as the governing body’s interim CEO since January – and has now won the race to permanently succeed Nigel Wood, it has been announced.
The Chairman of the Rugby Football League, Brian Barwick said: “I am absolutely delighted that Ralph is to become the new Chief Executive of the Rugby Football League.
“Ralph is a Rugby League man through and through and has extensive knowledge of the sport at every level. He is a person of enormous integrity, a straight-talker and somebody who gets things done. He also has the respect of those in the sport for regularly demonstrating those qualities. He is the right person at the right time to be the Executive in charge of our organisation.
“Ralph has huge ambitions for the future of the sport as well as dealing with the ‘here and now’ issues of the game.
“Ralph will start in his new role immediately and the RFL Board offer their sincere congratulations and their total support for their new CEO.”
Rimmer said: “I am thrilled to be appointed as CEO of the Rugby Football League. I am passionate about the sport and I am honoured to hold this position. I have always taken my responsibilities within the sport extremely seriously, and I take up this role with a 100% commitment to driving Rugby League forward.
I have very many strong relationships within the game and I intend to work collaboratively with all to achieve its future growth and success. I believe that I understand its changing landscape, and am hugely ambitious as to what we can achieve together in the future, including maximising the significant opportunities presented by a home World Cup in 2021. I am convinced that exciting times lie ahead.”