Accor Hotels COO Simon McGrath is "one of the 10 external applicants" the National Rugby League has identified as a potential replacement for NRL CEO Dave Smith. NRL Chief Commercial Officer Michael Brown "is in contention for the top job, joining Todd Greenberg, Jim Doyle and Raelene Castle as the rugby league-linked names on the shortlist." The Sydney-based McGrath, who is now in the interview process for the NRL position, "oversees 250 hotels in the Accor Pacific division" -- including Sofitel, Pullman and Novotel (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/22). ... Asia's biggest golf tour on Friday said that it will "resume talks over a merger with the European Tour that could change the face of world golf," and appointed Jimmy Masrin as board chair. The deal to merge the two Tour's business dealings and memberships to "create a mega-event straddling the two continents appeared in jeopardy last month" after CEO Mike Kerr resigned, followed by a "major shake-up" of the board. But interim Asia Tour Commissioner Kyi Hla Han said that the discussions were "set to resume after Indonesian businessman Masrin was appointed as the new chairman, with immediate effect" (STRAITS TIMES, 1/22).
