NZR Chief Executive Mark Robinson announces surprise departure

New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson has today announced he will leave the role, after a long tenure in one of the most high-profile roles in New Zealand Sport.

New Zealand Rugby announced this on Monday morning, and NZR Chair David Kirk released a statement regarding the departure.

“On behalf of the Board, I’d like to recognise Mark for his great service to NZR and the sport. He has led with a passion for rugby and we thank him for his commitment over the past six years,” Kirk said on the NZR statement.

“Mark has driven significant change, both in New Zealand and internationally, and the Board believes the organisation is well-placed to capitalise on this. Of note was his leadership through a global pandemic that saw the game deal with an unprecedented crisis.

“We also understand Mark’s desire to relocate to Australia where his family are now all living. He will go with our best wishes when he moves there at the end of this year. Mark will continue to lead for the remainder of the year as we conclude key projects, and the Board will now commence recruitment for the new role.”

Robinson, who has been in charge of New Zealand’s national sport since January 2020, called it an honour to have been the CEO of NZR for such a long time.

“My family have been based in Australia for the last few months with all three of my children studying there. My wife is already there supporting them and, ultimately, I will be joining them early next year,” Robinson told NZR.

“The past six years have been a period of rapid change, or unprecedented challenges through the pandemic, and significant evolution across commercial, competitions and structures.

“I will reflect on that as I get closer to stepping away, but I firmly believe the foundations of our organisation are extremely strong and the game is well-placed for the future.

“Our vision is to inspire and unify through rugby and that opportunity has been an easy motivator for me every single day, from the community game right through to the international level,” Robinson said.

“I have had the privilege of leading an amazing group of people at NZR who have a huge amount of care for the game.

“There’s a deep hunger to get better every day no matter how well we think we are doing and that drive sits right across every person working for NZR, our competitions and our national teams.”

Over the course of his tenure, Robinson admits he’s faced immense pressure and scrutiny, showcasing how important rugby is in this country.

“That reflects the immense passion that so many Kiwis feel for our sport and the special place rugby has in our country. The fact people can come up to me, share their views and talk with incredible knowledge and depth of feeling is something we never want to take for granted.

“My focus now is on supporting the Board and leading the organisation through a pivotal year, including ensuring the Black Ferns have the support they need to defend the Rugby World Cup in England.

“We also remain focused on implementing a new financial model for the game in New Zealand and completing the remaining work on what will be an exciting future international calendar.”

Prior to Robinson’s role as CEO of NZR, he served on the board for over seven years, becoming NZR’s delegate to World Rugby.