Rank Group chair Alex Thursby will not stand for re-election at the operator’s next AGM on 15 October, bringing an end to his time with the Grosvenor parent company.
After six years at the helm as chair, Thursby will step down from the board at the conclusion of the AGM.
Thursby joined Rank as a non-executive director in August 2017, before being appointed chair just over two years later in October 2019.
News of his departure comes a month after Rank released its full-year 2024-25 results, which included an 11% year-on-year (YoY) increase in underlying net gaming revenue (NGR) to £795.3m along with a huge 242% YoY rise in post-tax profit, which sat at £44.6m.
The strong results were cited as an example of how Thursby had helped keep Rank on an “excellent” trajectory, with the omnichannel operator now primed to “deliver further and sustainable long-term growth”.
On his tenure, Thursby said: “I have been privileged to serve as chair of the board of Rank for almost six years and have enjoyed the role enormously.
“For a number of months now I have been reflecting on this exciting inflection point for Rank, with the long-awaited legislative reforms for casinos now being implemented and a digital business which is beginning to scale, and I believe now is the right time to step down.
“I do so with a combination of pride in the progress we have made, including in terms of governance processes and procedures, and also with confidence that Rank is in excellent shape to write the next exciting chapter of its rich history.”
John O’Reily, Rank Group CEO, added: “Alex has been a committed and talented chair, combining wise counsel, considerable experience and thoughtful leadership.
“I would like to thank him personally for his unwavering support and dedication to the Rank Group and to its stakeholders. Our recent successes and outlook are due in no small part to his sure-footed guidance and invaluable leadership.”
Rank has confirmed the search for Thursby’s successor is underway and an appointment is expected to be announced within the next two months.
In the meantime, Karen Whitworth, Rank’s senior independent director, will lead the board as interim chair.
Whitworth remarked: “Alex has made a significant contribution to the Rank story. His experience and expertise have been highly valued by all board members, and the board offers him its thanks and very best wishes for the future.
“I will be pleased to serve as the interim chair, following next month’s AGM, and look forward to announcing a permanent successor to Alex very soon thereafter.”
The post Rank Group chair to step down in October first appeared on EGR Intel.
Alex Thursby’s six-year reign as chair of the omnichannel operator to come to an end next month, with senior independent director Karen Whitworth stepping in as interim
The post Rank Group chair to step down in October first appeared on EGR Intel.