Celtic To Appoint Scottish Rugby’s Mckay As New Ceo

Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have announced that current Scottish Rugby COO Dominic McKay will be appointed as its CEO on 1st July.

A Celtic season ticket holder, McKay will take over from long-serving Celtic CEO Peter Lawwell, who announced he will retire at the end of the 2019/20 football season.

McKay is currently COO of Scottish Rugby Union, and Chairman of the Guinness Pro14 League. He joined Scottish Rugby in January 2008 as Director of Communications and Public Affairs from his previous post at Pernod Ricard. He was named in his current role as COO in 2015.

During his time at Scottish Rugby, he has been responsible for all group commercial matters, corporate affairs, government relations, stadium, and facilities, as well as overseeing the development of Scotland’s two top rugby clubs, Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby.

“It is with great pride and enthusiasm that I look forward to beginning my new role as chief executive officer of Celtic,” said McKay.

“Celtic is the premier football club in Scotland and one of the most recognisable football brands globally, with our fans and sporting ethos known and respected throughout the world.

“I look forward to working with Peter and the board to ensure a seamless transition. In Peter Lawwell, I can think of no better example to follow. His experience and leadership have been the cornerstones of Celtic’s success, success that I will now look to build on going forward. I thank him and the wider board for their support and encouragement.

Announcing his retirement after 17 years at the club, Lawwell commented: “I will always be very proud of what we have achieved together and it has been a particular privilege to be involved throughout a period in the club’s history which has brought immense domestic success – as well as so many great European nights at Celtic Park.

“I first discussed the possibility of my retirement with the Chairman last year and we were keen to ensure an orderly handover to a new CEO once we had found the right candidate. Now that the process to select Dominic McKay as my successor is complete, I feel the time is now right to announce my retirement at the end of this season. 

“Dominic will inherit a first-class executive team and a superb group of colleagues. I am grateful to them all for the backing I have received during the past 17 years. I have also owed a great deal to the unstinting guidance and support from [Principal Shareholder] Dermot Desmond, someone who has been so fundamental to our success on and off the field. 

“In addition, I thank our present Chairman Ian Bankier, previous Chairmen and board members I have worked with, as well as Neil Lennon and the other five football managers and their backroom teams and, of course, so many great players at Celtic Park across the years who have given me and our supporters so much pleasure through a sustained period of success. I know that they will provide the same unwavering support and help to Dominic as they help to build on our past success.”