Marketing agency We Are Disrupt appointed LEYANNE JENKINS to "lead the development of the agency’s event offering." This will include supporting clients to "create and market sporting and mass participation events which better engage female consumers." Jenkins joins We Are Disrupt from Limelight Sports, where she developed its global portfolio of cycling events (SPORT INDUSTRY, 5/4). ... JORGE ELIAS was appointed VP of Fight Channel Group. Fight Channel Group has offices in Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi and Zagreb, Croatia. Elias has "more than 30 years of senior management experience," including a decade of strategic development in the MMA world and TV business (BROADBAND TV NEWS, 5/4). ... Haas Formula 1 driver ROMAIN GROSJEAN replaced McLaren's JENSON BUTTON as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association. Grosjean joins Ferrari's SEBASTIAN VETTEL and Chair ALEXANDER WURZ in the leading roles after Button "stepped down following his decision not to race" in '17. Grosjean's appointment means he will be "campaigning officially for the introduction of additional head protection in F1," something to which he is personally opposed (BBC, 5/4). ... Former Wales rugby int'l SONNY PARKER was named London Welsh director of rugby. The club "ceased to exist" and was "booted out" of the Rugby Football Union Championship as it "ran into serious financial issues." Parker will be a "key figure in the success or otherwise" of what the club branded "the journey back" (WALES ONLINE, 5/4). ... Australian Rugby Union COO ROB CLARKE resigned in a "blow that threatens to further delay the removal of an Australian Super Rugby side." The former Melbourne Rebels CEO has been a "central figure in the process of either the Rebels or Western Force being cut from Super Rugby" as part of SANZAAR's restructuring of the competition in '18. He had been "working closely" with ARU CEO BILL PULVER "in the delicate operation" (AAP, 5/4).
COACHES/MANAGERS: League Championship side Derby County sacked CEO & President SAM RUSH for "gross misconduct." The club released a statement on Wednesday saying that Rush "had been dismissed" with immediate effect "on the grounds of gross misconduct and breach of fiduciary duty." Derby added that it would "be making no further comment at this stage" (BBC, 5/3). ... Super League side St. Helens appointed National Rugby League side Sydney Roosters assistant JUSTIN HOLBROOK as its head coach on a two-and-a-half-year contract. Holbrook has also worked at Canterbury, St. George and Parramatta and is in charge of the Australia U20 side (BBC, 5/4). ... Former Scotland int'l AMY MCDONALD was appointed the new head coach of Scottish side Rangers women's team. The "highly regarded" 31-year-old, "who is an A Licence holder, met the players at Ibrox on Tuesday" (HERALD SCOTLAND, 5/3).
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