LSE-listed Rank Group has appointed Richard Harris as its permanent Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect, following a six-month spell in the role on an interim basis.
Harris had served as Interim CEO since 30 January 2026, with the appointment confirmed following an executive search process overseen by Rank Group’s Nominations Committee and supported by independent search firm MWM Consulting.
He took up the role initially after John O’Reilly announced that he would retire from the position after nearly eight years as CEO.
Upon leaving, O’Reilly told SBC: “I genuinely think it will be hard to find a better candidate than Richard.
“He’s a CFO, but he’s far more than that – he’s commercial, he understands the game and he understands this business inside out.”
The process considered both internal and external candidates, with Rank’s Board unanimously selecting Harris for the position.
Harris joined Rank Group’s Board as Chief Financial Officer in May 2022 and has held senior leadership positions at Marks & Spencer, Foxtons and Laird.
“Rank is an industry-leading business with a strong portfolio of brands which are synonymous with the UK gaming industry,” he said.
“I am proud of what Rank has achieved during my tenure as CFO, and I look forward to building on this momentum as we continue to drive growth and evolve the Group’s strategy.
“I’d like to thank all my colleagues for their commitment and support over the last 4 years and look forward to an exciting future as CEO of the Rank Group.”
A shift in leadership structure at Rank Group
Harris’ appointment as CEO looks like it may conclude a period of changing leadership structure for Rank Group, which was initiated by John H. Ott replacing Alex Thursby as Chair in November 2025.
This was followed by O’Reilly’s departure, and then, in February of this year, former Allwyn UK Operations Director Jenny Blogg was appointed as Chief Commercial Officer.
A week after that, Cliff Baty was announced as interim CFO. He has prior experience at firms including Sportech, Ladbrokes and EY, and served as CFO of Manchester United between 2016-2024.
It will be interesting to see whether Baty takes up the role on a permanent basis now that Harris has officially been announced as Rank Group’s Permanent CEO.
For Q3 2025/26, the operator improved its outlook for the full year, now expecting like-for-like underlying operating profit to reach at least £68m – up from its earlier expectation of £65m.
This came after all of its major divisions – Grosvenor, Enracha and Mecca – showed strong performance, even in the face of tax increases in the UK.
These tax increases give Rank Group some unique opportunities, though, given the diversification of its portfolio across land-based casinos, online operations, iGaming products and its Grosvenor Sport sportsbook.
Many will have a close eye on what Harris will look to do with the business now that he has taken on the CEO role on a permanent basis.
His appointment also comes exactly a month out from Rank Group reporting its full-year results for 2025/26, which is expected to happen on 13 August.
The company’s shares on the LSE have fluctuated throughout 2026, hitting a low of around 88p in late January and peaking at nearly £1.10 in April, but overall, its stock has taken a 2% hit this year and now sits at 95p at the time of writing.
On Harris’ appointment, Ott commented: “I am delighted to confirm Richard’s appointment as CEO of The Rank Group.
“Following a thorough recruitment process which identified a strong field of candidates, the Board unanimously agreed that Richard was the outstanding choice.
“I am pleased that he has agreed to lead Rank as it continues to progress the delivery of the medium-term objective of generating at least £100m operating profit and the development of the longer-term strategy.”
