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How does it feel to be the managing director of England 2015, the Rugby World Cup? Well it's an
absolute privilege, it's unbelievable. When I joined the the RFU in
2011, I came here, one of the reasons I came was because of the World Cup and
having been given this opportunity I think it's absolutely
fantastic so it's a real privilege. Tell us more about your roles and responsibilities
as a part of the Rugby World Cup and otherwise. Yes I'm also managing director
of rugby 2015 and chief financial officer of both 2015 and of the Rugby Football Union. In
my role as managing director of rugby, in 2015 I have to ensure that we sell our
tickets, which is no small feat. It's 2.4 million tickets. We've got to host
20 teams. There's 20 teams with all their squads. We're at 13 venues across the
country, and there's 48 matches so it's pretty a big scale. So Steve, I have to ask this, how is
your finance background helping you in this new wider leadership role? I
think it's absolutely critical. I think given the scale of the tournament
itself, the numbers themselves, but also just understanding the kind of
impact of some of the decisions we make. Sport is trying to really move itself
into the sort of PLC environment and certainly the Rugby Football Union was
back in 2011. And having that kind of core background and certainly the financial
discipline that went with that was absolutely critical to this role
So let me ask you this. Did you ever imagine that you are going to be the managing
director of worldwide event? Probably not, actually. I've always worked really hard, I've always tried to be
very committed or as you know put everything I could do into my into my
work. I think for me, that seems to have been a really kind of positive
contributor to this. So get yourself in the right place right time have a good
solid professional background and work hard. You know usually I think it comes good
Steve, you're obviously successful at what you do. So if I wanted to ask you give me your
20 second CV. Ok well I actually started life studying, unusually, as I wanted to
be a rock star. I was actually playing
as a musician. Wanted to play in a band, I was playing in bands and I left school
at 16 to to explore that ambition. Unfortunately it didn't really work out. My
total album sales 72, so that wasn't particularly good. When I finished that
I settled down and got into to a job working for the NHS, where it was a trainee
accountant. I spent several years there, and then took my first one to step into the
corporate world. I went to British Energy in the nineties when it was first
privatized and then I moved into Abbott Laboratories. And I stayed within Abbott for
10 years. I was promoted to finance director in my last five years of the UK
affiliate, which at the time was a billion dollar turnover business. And
then literally one Sunday morning, slightly blurry eyed, I opened the Sunday Times
saw an advert for the chief financial officer the RFU. I applied within one
hour, which i think is a good tip anybody looking at a career move. And within three months I was
appointed in that role. So a rock star CFO now running the Rugby World
Cup 2015. I have to ask, are you actually a rugby fan? Of course yes I am
And I absolutely was before I joined the RFU. The World Cup must be keeping you really busy but
when you're free, if at all, what is it that you do? Well I didn't stop being a
musician, so I still am. So in my spare time I still keep my hand in. I actually do
a little bit of session work. I played a big festival last year in Gibraltar
believe it or not. So I played on an album. Played 12 tracks on someone's album
which was quite nice. I'm a bit of a car nut as well so I like motorsport. How has
being an ACCA member helped you in your career?
Hugely. It's certainly given me background. And when you kind of come into
these things quite different. Just the route to studying a ACCA was
quite important to me having not, not having a conventional background. So
absolutely critical to start, but then as soon as I qualified and you
kind of have that important ticket as it were, all the doors started to open. So Steve
let's now end with a quickfire. Ok.
You are the managing director for the Rugby World Cup, but what is your favourite sport
That's a different question. I mean I absolutely love rugby, but I'm very passionate about motorsport
What kind of car do you love to drive? Well I like a classic British car, that's my
my sort of favourite. Favourite music? I like kind of rock music, indie music. Steve, what
are you most proud of?
Well I mean inevitably I'm gonna be proud of my daughters, my three
daughters, and all their achievements. But in terms of a career situation I would say
I'm most proud of my decision to come into sport. Come to work into sport. It
was absolutely the best thing I ever did. So the last one. When you were 10, what
did you want to become? Definitely a rock star. And you are. Thanks a lot, Steve, it was a pleasure talking to you. Thank you very much.
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