Former executive of FTSE 100 car insurance to loans group Admiral, Louisa Scadden, has been appointed to the executive board of the Welsh Rugby Union. She takes up the role in an interim capacity to replace current head of digital marketing and communications Mark Killingley who will leave the union next month.
The WRU’s digital, marketing and communications functions will continue to be carried out by existing staff, supported as necessary by Ms Scadden and the former head of sport for BBC Wales Geoff Williams, who joins the WRU as a consultant – also on an interim basis.
Ms Scadden is the former head of corporate communications at Admiral, which employs nearly 8,000 in South Wales, where she spent 22 years in a variety of senior management roles. She also headed up Admiral operations in the US and negotiated its former shirt sponsorship deal for the Welsh jersey with the union.
Former chief executive and co-founder of the Admiral, Henry Engelhardt, is an independent non-executive director of the union.
Chief executive of the WRU, Steve Phillips, said “We are delighted to welcome both Louisa and Geoff on board to lead and add extra resource to our experienced marketing, digital and communications teams,” said WRU CEO Steve Phillips.
“In Louisa we have recruited someone with a huge amount of highly relevant, high level in-house experience from a globally successful and respected business and Geoff brings unique and invaluable expertise directly from the sharp end of the media world.”
Appointed in 2016 former union chief executive Martyn Phillips, Mr Killingley has overseen the move to online registration throughout the community game in Wales, guided the WRU’s digital and communications output – including at the 2019 Rugby World Cup – and, more recently, taken responsibility for marketing and sales strategies and customer relationship management.
Mr Phillips said: “Mark is a talented individual with valuable expertise in a number of key areas that have been extremely beneficial to Welsh rugby over the last six years,” added Phillips.
“We are saddened to see him go, we thank him for the significant and positive contribution he has made to the game and wish him well in the future.”
Mr Killingley has a strong sports marketing background having previously worked for the NFL and RFU.
He said: “The time is right for me to move on after six great years working in an industry that I dearly love, it has been an absolute privilege to work for the Welsh Rugby Union and I wish both Geoff and Louisa well in their new roles,” said Killingley.
“The WRU has been a great place to work, it is an organisation full of determined, diligent, highly capable and responsible people who care deeply about Welsh rugby. Whilst I am looking forward to a number of exciting consultancy opportunities, I know that I will miss my friends in Welsh rugby dearly.”
Read Next: Why the WRU moving into hotels is a smart move
Read Next: FAW boss Noel Mooney to address Cardiff Business Club
