Munster Rugby has created new Non-Executive Commercial Board to provide strategic guidance, advice and support to the existing Branch Committee structures and management team.
The Chairman will be Niall FitzGerald KBE, who grew up in Limerick and has become one of Ireland’s most respected global business figures. Fitzgerald was born in Sligo but spent his youth in Limerick and was educated at the famous St Munchin’s College.
His business career was spent largely with Unilever and Reuters where he served in a variety of roles up to Chairman. He has served on the boards of the Nelson Mandela Legacy Trust, the World Economic Forum and the British Museum and is considered one of the best connected irish business leaders on a world stage.
Other external appointments to the Board include Tony Keohane from Tesco and Ken Murphy of Boots, two of the country’s leading retailers; Patrick Coveney, former President of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Greencore; David Cronin from the University of Limerick and Leslie Buckley of Independent News & Media).
The six are joined by a similar number from within the management and committee structure of Munster Rugby including CEO Garret Fitzgerald, Commercial and Marketing Manager Enda Lynch and President Stan Fuller.
This structure is not unique in the not for profit sector, including sports organisations across the world and can work well as a magnet for businesses that see the value in association with high profile names, and recognise the confidence that their expertise and experience can bring to an organisation that is largely governed from the top on a voluntary basis.
Care needs to be taken over setting the right parameters and levels of expectation over how decisions are made, communicated and executed but run well they do add value beyond merely the name check factor.
Munster are still in discussion over a replacement for Toyota who will end their relationship as principal sponsor at the end of this season after 10 years and an estimated investment of more than €10 million.
“We are delighted to welcome these international business leaders and Munster natives to Munster Rugby,” said Munster CEO Garret Fitzgerald, “and look forward to their input.
“Niall FitzGerald is an exceptional Chairman with a wealth of commercial experience and we hugely appreciate his engagement with Munster Rugby.”
“As a passionate Munster supporter, I am very pleased to be involved, and along with my fellow Board members will hopefully bring added value to a great sporting organisation,” added Fitzgerald.
Click here to see more of our recent content and analysis from the commercial Rugby world; Including Recognition for irish Women’s Team; Wood on the Block for RaboDirect and Connacht’s look to Crowd Funding.
The six are joined by a similar number from within the management and committee structure of Munster Rugby including CEO Garret Fitzgerald, Commercial and Marketing Manager Enda Lynch and President Stan Fuller.
This structure is not unique in the not for profit sector, including sports organisations across the world and can work well as a magnet for businesses that see the value in association with high profile names, and recognise the confidence that their expertise and experience can bring to an organisation that is largely governed from the top on a voluntary basis.
Care needs to be taken over setting the right parameters and levels of expectation over how decisions are made, communicated and executed but run well they do add value beyond merely the name check factor.
Munster are still in discussion over a replacement for Toyota who will end their relationship as principal sponsor at the end of this season after 10 years and an estimated investment of more than €10 million.
“We are delighted to welcome these international business leaders and Munster natives to Munster Rugby,” said Munster CEO Garret Fitzgerald, “and look forward to their input.
“Niall FitzGerald is an exceptional Chairman with a wealth of commercial experience and we hugely appreciate his engagement with Munster Rugby.”
“As a passionate Munster supporter, I am very pleased to be involved, and along with my fellow Board members will hopefully bring added value to a great sporting organisation,” added Fitzgerald.
Click here to see more of our recent content and analysis from the commercial Rugby world; Including Recognition for irish Women’s Team; Wood on the Block for RaboDirect and Connacht’s look to Crowd Funding.
