AVAN LEE HAS been appointed as the interim CEO of Munster, the province and IRFU have announced.
Lee served for 10 years as CEO of the Hurricanes in his native New Zealand up until November of last year.
Before that, he spent some years living in Dublin from 2012, working with World Rugby as their commercial manager and then general manager for Sevens. He played club rugby with Clontarf in the 90s.
Today, Lee said that he wants the appointment to become permanent. He is confident his performance in the job over the next year will convince the power brokers in Munster and the IRFU that he is the best candidate, long-term, for the province.
“Yeah, definitely,” Lee said when it was put to him that it is a long way to come from New Zealand for an interim role.
“It’s 12 months, is the interim, which is whatever you take from that. But 12 months is certainly, from my perspective, my attitude is that it’s permanent. And once I do a good job, I’m sure that will happen. But I’m not coming over to look at a 12-month job. I feel like I’m leaving New Zealand for this opportunity.”
Honoured
He will take up the role towards the end of this month and, according to a statement from Munster and the IRFU, “will work closely with the Munster Rugby Board, the IRFU, players, staff and stakeholders across the province to support the continued development and success of Munster Rugby” .
“I am honoured to be appointed Interim CEO of Munster Rugby,” Lee said earlier. “This is a province with a proud history, passionate supporters and a strong reputation within the game. While my professional career has taken me around the world, Ireland has been an important part of my own rugby journey. I spent nearly a decade living here, including playing club rugby, and I developed a deep appreciation for the game’s place in Irish communities and the unique connection between rugby clubs and their supporters.
“There are important challenges ahead but I firmly believe there is also tremendous opportunity. I am excited to work alongside our players, coaches, staff, volunteers, partners and supporters as we build on Munster Rugby’s strengths and shape a successful future.
“My message to everyone connected with the province is simple: we are stronger when we stand together. If we unite behind a shared ambition and a commitment to excellence, I am confident Munster Rugby can achieve great things in the years ahead.”
Munster Rugby chair Ger Malone said: “We are delighted to appoint Avan as interim CEO of Munster Rugby. Throughout the interview process, Avan impressed the board with both the breadth of his rugby experience and his clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing professional sports organisations today.
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Confidence
“He brings strong leadership credentials, significant rugby expertise and a collaborative approach that we believe will be hugely valuable to Munster Rugby. The board has every confidence that he will provide strong stewardship of the province and we look forward to working closely with him in the months ahead.”
IRFU chief executive Kevin Potts also welcomed the appointment. “Avan is a highly experienced sports executive with a deep understanding of professional rugby and the wider sporting landscape.
“The IRFU is committed to supporting Munster Rugby in achieving success both on and off the field, and we are confident that Avan’s leadership, experience and strategic insight will make a positive impact during this important period for the province.”
Current Munster CEO Ian Flanagan is to step down from his role at the end of October.
Flanagan was appointed Munster CEO in 2019, succeeding the late Garrett Fitzgerald in the role.
Turbulent
His departure comes on the back of a turbulent period for the province.
At the end of last season, Munster commissioned an independent governance and organisational review.
That review followed the damaging fallout from the Roger Randle saga. In April, Randle was announced as Munster’s new attack coach, before a historical 1997 rape allegation surfaced publicly. In late April, Randle’s appointment was cancelled by mutual consent.
The process around that appointment created internal issues at the province, with three former Munster players resigning from their positions as independent nominees on Munster’s Professional Game Committee (PGC) and further resignations from the voluntary Commercial Advisory Group (CAG).
Earlier in the year, the province sought redundancies from staff outside the elite professional rugby staff amid financial challenges.
Last week, former Munster captain Peter O’Mahony was highly critical of the province’s hierarchy on the Indo Sport podcast.
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Avan Lee announced as Munster interim CEO
AVAN LEE HAS been appointed as the interim CEO of Munster, the province and IRFU have announced.
Lee served for 10 years as CEO of the Hurricanes in his native New Zealand up until November of last year.
Before that, he spent some years living in Dublin from 2012, working with World Rugby as their commercial manager and then general manager for Sevens. He played club rugby with Clontarf in the 90s.
Today, Lee said that he wants the appointment to become permanent. He is confident his performance in the job over the next year will convince the power brokers in Munster and the IRFU that he is the best candidate, long-term, for the province.
“Yeah, definitely,” Lee said when it was put to him that it is a long way to come from New Zealand for an interim role.
“It’s 12 months, is the interim, which is whatever you take from that. But 12 months is certainly, from my perspective, my attitude is that it’s permanent. And once I do a good job, I’m sure that will happen. But I’m not coming over to look at a 12-month job. I feel like I’m leaving New Zealand for this opportunity.”
Honoured
He will take up the role towards the end of this month and, according to a statement from Munster and the IRFU, “will work closely with the Munster Rugby Board, the IRFU, players, staff and stakeholders across the province to support the continued development and success of Munster Rugby” .
“I am honoured to be appointed Interim CEO of Munster Rugby,” Lee said earlier. “This is a province with a proud history, passionate supporters and a strong reputation within the game. While my professional career has taken me around the world, Ireland has been an important part of my own rugby journey. I spent nearly a decade living here, including playing club rugby, and I developed a deep appreciation for the game’s place in Irish communities and the unique connection between rugby clubs and their supporters.
“There are important challenges ahead but I firmly believe there is also tremendous opportunity. I am excited to work alongside our players, coaches, staff, volunteers, partners and supporters as we build on Munster Rugby’s strengths and shape a successful future.
“My message to everyone connected with the province is simple: we are stronger when we stand together. If we unite behind a shared ambition and a commitment to excellence, I am confident Munster Rugby can achieve great things in the years ahead.”
Munster Rugby chair Ger Malone said: “We are delighted to appoint Avan as interim CEO of Munster Rugby. Throughout the interview process, Avan impressed the board with both the breadth of his rugby experience and his clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing professional sports organisations today.
Confidence
“He brings strong leadership credentials, significant rugby expertise and a collaborative approach that we believe will be hugely valuable to Munster Rugby. The board has every confidence that he will provide strong stewardship of the province and we look forward to working closely with him in the months ahead.”
IRFU chief executive Kevin Potts also welcomed the appointment. “Avan is a highly experienced sports executive with a deep understanding of professional rugby and the wider sporting landscape.
“The IRFU is committed to supporting Munster Rugby in achieving success both on and off the field, and we are confident that Avan’s leadership, experience and strategic insight will make a positive impact during this important period for the province.”
Current Munster CEO Ian Flanagan is to step down from his role at the end of October.
Flanagan was appointed Munster CEO in 2019, succeeding the late Garrett Fitzgerald in the role.
Turbulent
His departure comes on the back of a turbulent period for the province.
At the end of last season, Munster commissioned an independent governance and organisational review.
That review followed the damaging fallout from the Roger Randle saga. In April, Randle was announced as Munster’s new attack coach, before a historical 1997 rape allegation surfaced publicly. In late April, Randle’s appointment was cancelled by mutual consent.
The process around that appointment created internal issues at the province, with three former Munster players resigning from their positions as independent nominees on Munster’s Professional Game Committee (PGC) and further resignations from the voluntary Commercial Advisory Group (CAG).
Earlier in the year, the province sought redundancies from staff outside the elite professional rugby staff amid financial challenges.
Last week, former Munster captain Peter O’Mahony was highly critical of the province’s hierarchy on the Indo Sport podcast.
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