The Big Interview – Francis Baron
Following the announcement of the governing body’s annual financial report, Francis Baron, chief executive of the RFU gives his thoughts on rugby’s current commercial performance and how he intends to improve it…
Profile
Francis Baron was appointed as the first ever chief executive of the Rugby Football Union in October 1998. Following his appointment, he initiated a full review of the RFU to build on its commercial strengths, create a focused management structure, adopt best practice standards and ensure responsibilities and accountabilities throughout the organisation. His aim was to reduce costs and maximise returns and to return the RFU to the black, with losses of £10.3million having been suffered over the previous two years.
The 1998/99 financial year saw the RFU reach break even and in the following year 1999/00, Francis Baron was able to announce record pre-tax profits of £14.5 million which included an exceptional profit of £11.3 million on the establishment of TEL. The 2000/01 financial year saw a further rise in operating profits of 30% and the launch of the Union’s first eight year Strategic Plan.
Prior to his arrival at the RFU, Francis Baron had extensive experience at senior levels within a number of major PLCs, having for four years been Group Chief Executive of First Choice Holidays, where he successfully rebranded and restructured the former Owners Abroad PLC. He had previously spent ten years as Managing Director of WH Smith’s Television and Media Division, where he pioneered satellite and cable television, creating a number of satellite channels, including Screen Sport and The European Sports Network, later renamed Eurosport. Francis Baron was also a director of Yorkshire Television PLC from 1984-1991. Earlier he was a Divisional Managing Director of the Guthrie Corporation and also worked for Spillers and Marconi.
Francis Baron is a graduate of St John’s College, Cambridge, with a degree in Mechanical Sciences and a Diploma in Industrial Management. He played rugby while at Cambridge and subsequently at Chelmsford and Rosslyn Park, later becoming a member of Richmond FC.
