Killingley has and will continue to remain active at the WRU during his notice period, fulfilling a full roster of duties until his formal departure in October.
The WRU’s digital, marketing and communications functions will continue to be carried out by existing staff, supported as necessary by Scadden and the former head of sport for BBC Wales Geoff Williams, who joins the WRU as a consultant – also on an interim basis.
Scadden is the former head of Corporate Communications at the FTSE 100 Company, Admiral Group plc, where she spent 22 years in a variety of senior management roles, also working in Investor Relations, Customer Services, Renewals and Human Resources.
“We are delighted to welcome both Louisa and Geoff on board to lead and add extra resource to our experienced marketing, digital and communications teams,” said WRU CEO Steve Phillips.
“In Louisa we have recruited someone with a huge amount of highly relevant, high level in-house experience from a globally successful and respected business and Geoff brings unique and invaluable expertise directly from the sharp end of the media world.”
Appointed in 2016 under then CEO Martyn Phillips, Killingley has overseen the move to online registration throughout the community game in Wales, guided the WRU’s digital and communications output – including at the 2019 Rugby World Cup – and, more recently, taken responsibility for marketing and sales strategies and customer relationship management.
“Mark is a talented individual with valuable expertise in a number of key areas that have been extremely beneficial to Welsh rugby over the last six years,” added Phillips.
“We are saddened to see him go, we thank him for the significant and positive contribution he has made to the game and wish him well in the future.”
Killingley has a strong sports marketing background having previously worked for the NFL and RFU.
“The time is right for me to move on after six great years working in an industry that I dearly love, it has been an absolute privilege to work for the Welsh Rugby Union and I wish both Geoff and Louisa well in their new roles,” said Killingley.
“The WRU has been a great place to work, it is an organisation full of determined, diligent, highly capable and responsible people who care deeply about Welsh rugby. Whilst I am looking forward to a number of exciting consultancy opportunities, I know that I will miss my friends in Welsh rugby dearly.”
