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Australian Rugby / RA

barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
True, but as I read somewhere yesterday the board should know what they are looking for in a CEO and if the ideal applicant is staring them in the face then just grab him. Sure, go through the process of due diligence on him to cover all bases, but there’s no need to employ a recruitment firm on a couple of hundred thousand dollars they don’t have to end up with the same bloke, they’d look even more stupid then. Which is no doubt what will happen.

But isn't that what McLean was proposing to Wiggs? They still appoint Carroll, but appoint a different Chair to Wiggs so there is no conflict of interest (perceived or actual).

The fact he didn't accept that makes me glad he's going.
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
But isn't that what McLean was proposing to Wiggs? They still appoint Carroll, but appoint a different Chair to Wiggs so there is no conflict of interest (perceived or actual).

The fact he didn't accept that makes me glad he's going.

Yes, although it sounds like no one from RA other than Wiggs had approached Carroll. Whatever way you look at it it's all very amateurish. Hopefully they have at least put the recruiter on hold and commenced their own discussions with Carroll.
 

Juan Cote

Syd Malcolm (24)
Any comfort that RA may have had in a World Rugby sugar hit of cash has now surely vanished.

With a crippled board whose divisions have been exposed, no plan for the next 6 months, an unsustainable cost base, an interim Chair who is also acting CEO, an auditor that will not sign off on the financial accounts and very few prospects on the horizon, the only course of action is to go into administration.

The thought that McLean, who has been in and around the ARU/RA since 2005, can lead the organisation out of this is fanciful.

At least in administration and proper, independent assessment of the organisation can be made without factions and rivalries being the lead factor in decision making.
 

Dismal Pillock

Michael Lynagh (62)
landscape-1490821181-mean-girls-gossip-bullies.jpg

“What if we get Hamish and Matt together immediately, and if Hamish is comfortable and to come to the Board early, and as designate Chair, we could appoint Matt, Phil Waugh, Dan Herbert, Brett Godfrey, and me would support. You remain a lead director, without the Chair title which was never your desire, anyway, Matt gets the role he would like and....."
 

Froggy

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
It beggars belief that Peter Wiggs, a Harvard MBA, could possibly think appointing his mate as CEO without any due process would be an appropriate manner manner for a board chairman to conduct business. It makes Kim Jong-un look like a democrat!
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Rugby Australia board member Peter Wiggs has tendered his resignation after an explosive email exchange with RA’s interim chair Paul McLean last night.
The Australian has obtained the email chain where McLean writes to Wiggs saying his “closeness” to Matt Carroll, the current Australian Olympic Committee CEO who has been suggested as the next Rugby Australia boss, “would be a concern for most Boards. So how do we apply separation”.
McLean suggests that Magellan executive and incoming board member ex-Ten boss and News Corp executive Hamish McLennan would be a more suitable chairman. McLean proposes that Carroll and McLennan meet “immediately”.
READ NEXT
The email from McLean reads: “What if we get Hamish and Matt together immediately, and if Hamish is comfortable (with Matt) and to come to the Board early, and as designate Chair, we could appoint Matt (Phil [Waugh], Dan [Herbert], Brett [Godfrey], and me would support). You remain a lead director, without the Chair title which was never your desire, anyway, Matt gets the role he would like, and we get a good CEO immediately.
“I can only presume you hate the politics as much as me, so I’m keen to get this resolved. I put Rob on hold, but that won’t last long. Maybe a chat in the morning.... Rgds PM”
Wiggs then replied to McLean saying he would resign today.
“Hi Paul, This is a very disappointing email, what little regard I had for RA Board is now extinguished. I tried calling to discuss. I will resign tomorrow. Regards Peter.”

who is Rob???
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
But isn't that what McLean was proposing to Wiggs? They still appoint Carroll, but appoint a different Chair to Wiggs so there is no conflict of interest (perceived or actual).

The fact he didn't accept that makes me glad he's going.
Does the departure of Wiggs fix a conflict of interest or create a bigger one?

I'm presuming Carroll seems like an acceptable CEO - but will RA's leadership have a shadow cast over it with Wiggs as his boss that won't exist with McLennan as chair?
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
Will the departure of Wiggs fix a conflict of interest or create a bigger one?

I'm presuming Carroll seems like an acceptable CEO, but does RA's leadership have a shadow cast over it with Wiggs as his boss that won't exist with McLennan as chair?

I actually wondered if that had more to do with Wiggs' resignation than himself not being chair. I think it's important to note that not all of the email exchange was included in the news article. Journalists do like to quote things out of context to add drama..
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
Rob Clarke, former COO perhaps?
Yeah, touted as interim CEO. Not universally loved, shall we say. But if he's only interim there's other fish to fry.

Ditto with Wiggs. He's gone, the focus moves on.

So who is Hamish? -- Meet your new Chairman!

Hamish McLennan was executive VP at NewsCorp's Office of the Chairman (Ol' Rupe himself) 7 or so years back, if I recall. Was then (and still is now) Chairman of REA, real estate advertising subsidiary of News Corporation.

Former CEO of Ten Network for a couple years. Very successful there but moved on when Foxtel (whaddaya know eh?) wanted to take over and the ACCC was looking at the media monopoly implications. You don't wan't a conflict of interest (perceived or actual) when doing those sort of business deals:

… McLennan leaves with unfinished business. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is currently deciding on whether to allow Foxtel to take a stake in Ten. Many have hypothesised that his departure will help ease the regulator’s concerns over competition concerns — Foxtel is part-owned by Ten, and McLennan, who remains chairman of News Corp-owned REA, isn’t seen as a neutral party. It appears News Corp (really the Murdochs) has sacrificed a successful CEO at Ten to remove any direct links between the TV company and News.​

 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Any comfort that RA may have had in a World Rugby sugar hit of cash has now surely vanished.

With a crippled board whose divisions have been exposed, no plan for the next 6 months, an unsustainable cost base, an interim Chair who is also acting CEO, an auditor that will not sign off on the financial accounts and very few prospects on the horizon, the only course of action is to go into administration.

The thought that McLean, who has been in and around the ARU/RA since 2005, can lead the organisation out of this is fanciful.

At least in administration and proper, independent assessment of the organisation can be made without factions and rivalries being the lead factor in decision making.

The loan from RA was capped at $16,000,000 which would basically cover the loss from last year.

The rest of the rugby world must be looking at this shambles and shaking their heads.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
True, but as I read somewhere yesterday the board should know what they are looking for in a CEO and if the ideal applicant is staring them in the face then just grab him. Sure, go through the process of due diligence on him to cover all bases, but there’s no need to employ a recruitment firm on a couple of hundred thousand dollars they don’t have to end up with the same bloke, they’d look even more stupid then. Which is no doubt what will happen.

Process is important and it's a decade or more long breakdown in process which has led us to the current point. The game has had too many of these type of mates appointments. None of them have worked out particularly well.

In terms of Carroll, I think that he's an excellent administrator and he probably should of got the job after JON left, but he probably suffered from that association. Here's where the mates appointments thing comes in again - Chairman Hawker appointed his best mate, neighbour and school buddy Pulver instead. The irony is amusing in a tragic sort of way.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
Here's where the mates appointments thing comes in again - Chairman Hawker appointed his best mate, neighbour and school buddy Pulver instead. The irony is amusing in a tragic sort of way.
It's the tried and true rugby way.

Wiggs gets his wish in days gone by, and with a touch more subtlety could still do so today.
 

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
The loan from RA was capped at $16,000,000 which would basically cover the loss from last year.

The rest of the rugby world must be looking at this shambles and shaking their heads.

Is it a loan or an advance?

".....the money is a payment from World Rugby that would normally be available at the end of the four-year cycle.

"The global governing body........has decided to make this four-yearly payout available immediately to help the leading nations in need get through the dramatic revenue shots they are taking as a result of the sporting shutdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"In other words, if you take it now, it’s money you won’t get in three years’ time when it was scheduled. You get one bite at the cheery [sic]"

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...ap-up-15m-global-payout-as-covid19-bites-hard
 
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