Mark Darbon leaves Northampton Saints role to succeed Martin Slumbers as R&A chief executive

Martin Slumbers announced in January he was stepping down by the end of 2024 after nine years in the role; Mark Darbon will succeed Slumbers officially from November, having previously been chief executive of Northampton Saints

Mark Darbon has been appointed chief executive of the R&A and secretary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

Darbon, 45, is leaving his job as chief executive of rugby union side Northampton, who won their first Premiership title since 2014 last month, to succeed Martin Slumbers and will formally begin his new role in November.

“I am thrilled and honoured to be taking up these positions with The R&A and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and to be moving into golf, a sport I have always loved,” Darbon said.

“The R&A is a globally-renowned organisation and does so much to ensure that golf prospers from grassroots through to the professional game.

“I am looking forward to working with a hugely talented team of staff, the club membership and such an impressive array of partner organisations to achieve even more success in the years to come.”

Niall Farquharson, chairman of the R&A, said: “We were greatly impressed with Mark’s knowledge and experience of the global sport industry and his ability to develop successful teams and deliver fantastic events.

“We believe he will be an excellent leader for The R&A and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and will play a key role in helping us to achieve our goal of ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future for golf.”

In a separate press release from Saints, Darbon said: “Leaving Northampton Saints has been an incredibly difficult decision for me to make.

“Over the last seven years my family and I have loved our time in Northampton and developed a passion and attachment for Saints which will stay with us forever.

“I am very proud of what we have achieved during my tenure. Rugby has faced some significant challenges, but the club is well positioned to continue to be successful into the future, on and off the pitch, whilst remaining at the centre of our local community in Northampton.

“My family and I will remain very close to the club as fans, and I’m delighted to be staying on in some capacity at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens by remaining on the board as a non-executive director.”

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