Nigel Wood OBE (Chair)

Nigel Wood OBE returned to the RFL Board as Senior Executive Director in spring 2025, having spent 17 years with the NGB from 2001, and been appointed Chief Executive in 2007. He became Chair of the RFL in March 2026. He originally joined as Chief Operating Officer and Financial Director in 2001, having previously worked as Deputy Head of Finance for BBC North, and for the Halifax club. He was Tournament Director when the RFL staged the successful 2013 Rugby League World Cup, and became Chair of the Rugby League International Federation the following year, becoming Chief Executive of the RLIF when he left the RFL in 2018. He was awarded the OBE for Services to Rugby League in the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2018.

Peter Hutton

Peter Hutton has four decades of experience in the sports industry, since 2018 as Director Media Partnerships for Meta, including external relationships with sports organisations such as FIFA, the IOC, the NFL and the Premier League – in addition to broadcasters and streaming companies worldwide. Previous roles included CEO of Eurosport, the MD of Fox Sports, and the CEO of Ten Sports – having taken his early steps into sports broadcasting covering Rugby League for Pennine Radi and then Sky Sports in the early years of the Super League.

Paul Lakin

Paul Lakin was appointed onto the RL Commercial Ltd. board in November 2024 as one of Super League (Europe) Limited’s nominated representatives. Paul became CEO of Hull KR in 2000, having spent time in football at Wolves and Stoke City previously.

Eamonn McManus

Eamonn McManus was appointed onto the RL Commercial Ltd. board in November 2024 as one of Super League (Europe) Limited’s nominated representatives. After a successful career in banking both in the UK and overseas, Eamonn became Chairman of St Helens Rugby League Club in November 2001. Under his leadership, Eamonn has guided St Helens to being the most successful club in the Summer era of the sport winning 7 Super League titles, 2 World Club Championships, 5 Challenge Cups, 9 League Leaders shields and a BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year in 2006.

Dermot Power

Dermot Power is a Chartered Accountant and retired Insolvency Practitioner. He spent over 40 years in major and international accountancy practices with 38 of them as a Partner. Dermot has extensive Non-Executive Director experience including as Non-Executive Chairman, Chair of Audit and Risk Committees and of Remuneration Committees. He has also been a member of numerous Sub-Committees as well as the Governing Council of the accountancy and business advice firm BDO for more than a decade. Since retiring from practice he has been heavily engaged in the governance,strategy and direction of several successful private companies in a range of sectors. Having coached junior rugby for over 15 years, Dermot was also a main board director at Sale Sharks where he acted as the link between the Academy and the RFU. Together with the former England international Fran Cotton, Dermot had overall responsibility for the vision and direction of the Academy together with safeguarding and health and safety.

Ed Mallaburn

Ed Mallaburn is IMG Media’s Head of Sport, and sits on both the RFL and RL Commercial Boards as an observer as part of IMG’s 12-year strategic partnership with Rugby League.