Nigel Walker: Interim CEO appointed WRU executive director of rugby

Nigel Walker was named interim chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union in January, 2023

Nigel Walker has been appointed as the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) first executive director of rugby.

Walker will continue his role as interim chief executive until a permanent appointment is confirmed.

The former Wales wing had taken on the temporary chief executive role following the resignation of Steve Phillips in January 2023.

Walker had initially been interested in the permanent role but says he withdrew his interest "at an early stage."

He was thrust into the WRU interim role following Phillips' departure after a BBC Wales Investigates programme raised allegations of misogyny and sexism in Welsh rugby's governing body.

Walker also helped guide the WRU through the current independent review taskforce process and was instrumental in negotiating a new six-year Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) with Wales' four regions.

Walker's new position has been created by the first WRU independent chair Richard Collier-Keywood who has replaced Ieuan Evans.

"I have enjoyed my time as WRU chief executive and will continue to work hard in the best interests of Welsh rugby." said Walker.

"It has been a privilege and an honour to serve our game and lead Welsh rugby through its recent challenges over the last six months.

"But I knew early on in the recruitment process Richard and the board wanted a chief executive with a strong commercial background, so I withdrew from the process and have been grateful for the honesty and commitment shown to me.

"This new role is not a role I sought but when Richard discussed the new role with me, it is something which greatly appeals to me.

"I will be addressing its challenges with the same vigour and determination to succeed I hope I have shown everyone in the game over recent times.

"There is still hard work to do to secure a positive and sustainable future for Welsh rugby but we will continue to progress together and I remain hugely optimistic about the future of our game."

Walker says he will be grateful to return to his more natural habitat.

"It has been a great honour and privilege to serve the Union but I am from a sport background and I am not disappointed to go back to look after the sports side of Welsh rugby," said Walker.

"It has been an interesting few months. We have had our challenges and have met those head on. We have made mistakes and admitted we have made them.

"The independent review is ongoing and that will tell us how much of a gap we have closed. We know we have made improvements and have committed to implementing those recommendations in full."

Walker will sit above two executive roles of performance director, currently held on an interim basis by Huw Bevan and community director Geraint John.

The Wales senior professional coaching staff in the men's and women's game will now report directly to Walker, including head coach Warren Gatland.

"My working relationship with Warren is a very good one," said Walker

"He is hugely experienced, he doesn't need me to tell him how to coach or anything like that but I inform him of the things that are happening in the wider sphere of rugby.

Walker was appointed as the WRU performance director in July 2021. He campaigned alongside former WRU chair Ieuan Evans for governance modernisation which was passed with a 97% majority at an extraordinary general meeting in March 2023.

That resulted in the appointment of new chair Collier-Keywood and the new chief executive will be appointed soon.

"The idea was the governance changes, the new CEO, and the changes in the board including the independent chair are all part of those changes," said Walker.

"They will take a while to settle down but in six months from now that board will look completely different.

"The executive team, certainly at the top, will look completely different. We are going to go through a period of transition.

"We will be better able to meet the challenges that face us, absolutely no doubt. Not because I'm in one of those posts but because of all the changes which are being implemented over that period of time."

Collier-Keywood, who has just officially taken up the position as the WRU's chair, outlined Walker's new role.

"I am delighted Nigel will be taking up this new challenge, he has done a great job in leading the WRU over the last few months," said Collier-Keywood.

"This role is vital as we seek to deliver a 'one rugby' agenda across all aspects of community, professional and international rugby in Wales.

"We want to widen the appeal of rugby for everyone in Wales and integrate what we do from grassroots to international level across all formats of the game."

Walker says the new chairman has made an immediate impression.

"He's incredibly experienced, he acknowledges he's not a Welsh rugby expert, and he's not a rugby expert but that's part of the reason why my role has changed," added Walker.

"He's made up his mind very quickly. I've got a huge amount of admiration for him already. He knows his way around a board table and a finance spreadsheet and he's very keen to make an impact in the areas where he has expertise in."