Former SANZAAR boss Andy Marinos has been appointed Rugby Australia's new CEO, replacing Kiwi Raelene Castle.
Castle resigned from the role in April, following several controversies, including the handling of the Israel Folau scandal and the loss of a lucrative broadcast deal with Fox Sports.
Marinos joins RA after a five-year stint with SANZAAR.
The 48-year-old has strong experience in Europe from his time spent working in Wales as the Chief Executive of the Newport Gwent Dragons, as well as sitting on the Board of the Welsh Rugby Union.
A former professional Rugby and Rugby League player, Marinos played for the then-Natal Sharks, Western Province and the Stormers before moving to Newport and playing 97 times for the Dragons, where he then earned test honours for Wales.
Marinos also represented the NRL's Canterbury Bulldogs, in 1996.
“Andy is an extremely impressive and experienced Rugby administrator who covered every key criterion that the board wanted to see in our new Chief Executive Officer," says RA Chairman Hamish Mclennan.
"He’s called Australia home for the last five years and he has an outstanding understanding of the Rugby landscape in this country.
“He has a wealth of experience in managing broadcasters and commercial partners and also boasts impeccable relationships with the Six Nations Unions which, together with his SANZAAR connections, strengthens Rugby Australia’s bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
"Through his recent roles in Wales, with South African Rugby and with SANZAAR, Andy is uniquely placed to hit the ground running in 2021 with a new broadcast landscape and new competition structures.
"This is an exciting time for Rugby with a new broadcast partnership with Nine Entertainment Co., as well as the opportunity we have in the community level of the game.
"Andy has an exciting vision for Rugby in Australia, and he knows what needs to be done to continue the code’s success into 2021 and beyond.
"I congratulate Andy on his appointment and look forward to working with him on continuing to grow Rugby in Australia.
Marinos says he is "extremely humbled" to have been appointed to the position.
"Despite there being a lot of hard work ahead, I believe that Rugby Australia is uniquely placed for success both domestically and on the global stage," says Marinos.
"We need to hit the ground running and build momentum from the start so we can continue to move forward with deliberate intent, as we look to reignite the game from the bottom up.
"Next year has an exciting domestic and international rugby calendar so we need to be ready to maximise these opportunities.
"The game has endured substantial change over the last six to eight months and I’m optimistic and excited to be involved with Rugby Australia as it heads off in a new, positive strategic direction.
"We have a new broadcast partner in Nine Entertainment Co., a Rugby World Cup bid for 2027, a British and Irish Lions tour on the horizon, new competition formats, an exciting Wallabies calendar, an Olympic Games for our Sevens teams and a Rugby World Cup for our Buildcorp Wallaroos.
"I’m looking forward to the start of the new year, meeting and engaging with as many stakeholders as I can, as we continue Rugby’s growth at the grassroots level, as well as amongst our fans and participants.
"I’m passionate about building new commercial opportunities, enhancing stakeholder relationships, delivering a Rugby eco-system that provides clear aspirational pathways from the community to the National Teams, and working with our high-performance teams to deliver a more competitive and engaged on-field product."
