The Welsh Rugby Union has confirmed the appointment of Los Angeles-based businessman Lyndon Faulkner as its new chair.
WalesOnline exclusively revealed last week that Faulkner was the leading candidate, with the experienced businessman and former player beating off competition from the likes of Harry Bowcott and Mark Rhydderch-Roberts to the role.
Global search lands on Faulkner
The WRU says it scoured the globe to replace Richard Collier-Keywood and has landed on Faulkner as the outstanding candidate.
He joins the WRU at a pivotal time in its history as the governing body radically restructures the game by reducing the number of professional clubs from four to three.
"I know personally how important Welsh rugby is in many different ways to the nation," said Faulkner, who will be in place at the helm of the WRU by the time of its next Annual General Meeting on Sunday 22 November.
"So, it is a huge privilege for me to return to Welsh rugby as chair of the WRU and give something back to a sport which has helped define me and means so much to me, my family, friends and the people of Wales.
"Empowered by the high standards and scrutiny of the interview process that recruited me, I look forward to meeting member clubs at our AGM in November and listening and learning from all of the major stakeholders across both the community and professional game in the coming weeks.
"This is a pivotal time for the game and I will start by listening to those around me and of course remaining open to credible challenge."
Mandate and reaction
Faulkner's mandate as the new independent chair of the Welsh Rugby Union is to continue to lead the Board in setting the strategic direction for the game in Wales and to hold its executive team and staff to account for its implementation.
The 66-year-old will dedicate significant time to the role on a weekly basis in a professional capacity and will also be representing the WRU in an ambassadorial capacity at the highest level around the global game.
As things stand one of the Ospreys or Scarlets will cease to exist by 2028 unless they merge, with a state of the game summit set for December.
"We are delighted to welcome Lyndon to lead the WRU Board," said WRU vice-chair John Manders.
"To be able to attract someone with such obvious high calibre business credentials, who is also steeped in Welsh rugby heritage, is a major coup for us and testament to the strength of the very proactive recruitment process we have been engaged in."
Playing career and business background
Faulkner hails from Newport and attended Bassaleg Comprehensive School while he played first-class rugby for Newport and Pontypool.
In his time at the club, Pontypool won the Welsh Cup final and were Welsh league winners three years in a row before a serious knee injury cut short his playing career.
Faulkner has held senior executive roles at global technology leaders, helping generate billions in revenue and launch products that transformed industries.
He played pivotal roles in the introduction of CDs and DVDs, before leading Welsh company Nimbus CD International's NASDAQ flotation, funding acquisitions that helped build Technicolor into a global powerhouse in digital media and home entertainment.
At Microsoft, he helped launch Xbox, Windows XP and Office 2000. Joining Pelican Products in 2006, he drove international expansion and acquisitions, growing its reach to 26 countries and seven manufacturing facilities.
Peli Biothermal received the Queen's Award for Innovation in 2017, followed by Pelican's Queen's Award for Enterprise and International Trade in 2018.
Following Pelican's sale to Platinum Equity, he retired in 2021. A two-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year winner with two different businesses, Faulkner has featured in the US TV series The Mentor, and been profiled by Forbes, Fortune and The New York Times. He has lectured at Stanford and the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business.
"I am very much looking forward to Lyndon's arrival at the WRU," said WRU CEO Abi Tierney.
"Establishing a working relationship with the right level of challenge and support between CEO and Chair in any organisation is a vital part of ensuring positive progress and maintaining a healthy and progressive culture.
"I know Lyndon and I are ready to form a formidable team working to advance Welsh rugby at all levels."
