World Rugby has announced the appointment of Phil Wilkinson as Senior Communications Manager.
A dedicated communications professional, with a proven track record and over a decade of experience working with international sports organisations, Wilkinson starts his new role at the end of March. He joins at an exciting time as rugby continues to experience record global participation, fan and commercial growth.
Wilkinson will join World Rugby’s communications team, responsible for implementing and driving World Rugby’s communications strategy, as the sport seeks to continue its successful growth and inspire a new generation of fans. He will work across external and internal communications, events an fan-engagement.
Wilkinson was previously employed by the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee, where, as International Media Manager, he led the development and execution of an international communications strategy to engage a global audience of over four billion.
Prior to working with Rio 2016, Wilkinson held roles at the British Olympic Association, including as Communications Manager, where he directed key elements of the Team GB communications strategy for the London 2012, Beijing 2008 and Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games.
World Rugby Chief Executive Brett Gosper said: “Phil’s outstanding track record and significant communications experience in the fast-paced world of international sport is perfectly suited to World Rugby’s strategic mission to inspire even greater numbers of new players and fans around the world.
“Phil joins a dynamic communications team that is successfully executing our global media and fan-engagement strategies at a time when the sport is experiencing record growth on and off the field in emerging markets with Japan 2019, the first Rugby World Cup in Asia, just around the corner. Phil’s Olympic experience will be invaluable as rugby sevens continues to thrive and we look forward to what promises to be a spectacular Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 in San Francisco.”
Wilkinson added: “I am thrilled to be joining the experienced team at World Rugby. I have been a rugby fan from a young age and was delighted to play my part in rugby sevens’ integration into the Olympic Movement for the Rio 2016 Games. I am excited to be bringing my sporting and major event experience to the International Federation. There are already more people playing rugby and fans engaging with the sport through social media than ever before, and I am looking forward to working with the team to maximise the sport’s enormous potential.”
Source: www.worldrugby.org
