DAVID BUTTRESS will become exec chair of Pro14 side Dragons following STUART DAVIES' departure from the club by mutual agreement. Davies left the Dragons after "almost three years at the helm, in which he has guided the region through a major transitional period." Buttress was appointed as Dragons chair in September (RUNNING RUGBY, 12/18). ... BENJAMIN BLANCO left his role as head of sponsorships, sport & entertainment marketing at Samsung after five years with the company. He joined Samsung as sponsorship director in June '13. Blanco helped Samsung work in partnership with Chelsea, the Rugby World Cup, Tough Mudder and the Olympic & Paralympic Games (CAMPAIGN LIVE, 12/18). ... League One side Blackburn Rovers appointed former Coventry City CEO STEVE WAGGOTT as CEO. Waggott, whose most recent post was as a consultant at League One club Southend, previously worked with Blackburn Rovers Manager TONY MOWBRAY at Coventry (BBC, 12/18). ... Stadium for Bath, the group tasked with delivering a new stadium at Bath, England's Recreation Ground, announced the appointment of MIKE BOHNDIEK to the newly-created role of CTO. He joins as a consultant from his recently-formed organization, Pragmatic Technological Insight (RUNNING RUGBY, 12/18). ... Canadian Football League side BC Lions named former Edmonton Eskimos President & CEO RICH LELACHEUR president. He will start his new job in January. The role has been vacant since Lions President & CEO DENNIS SKULSKY "stepped aside" in April '16 (CP, 12/18). ... CFL club Montreal Alouettes Assistant GM/Football Operations CATHERINE RAÎCHE resigned from her position for "personal growth" (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 12/18).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Women's Super League 2 side Watford Ladies appointed ARMAND KAVAJA as head coach "until the end of the season." He previously worked with the club in '16 and is an academy coach with the Watford men's side. Kavaja replaced KEITH BOANAS (BBC, 12/19).
