Effective from January 29, 2026, John O’Reilly will step down from his CEO position at Rank Group after seven and a half years in the role, with Richard Harris being...
Richard Harris appointed as permanent CEO of Rank Group
Rank Group announced the appointment of Richard Harris as permanent Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on July 13, 2026, with Harris set to step into the full-time position effective immediately.
Harris had first joined the company’s Board as Chief Financial Officer in May 2022, after which he was named interim CEO following the departure of former head of Rank John O’Reilly in January 2026. Prior to his roles at Rank, Harris worked at Laird, Foxtons, and Marks & Spencer.
Harris commented on his appointment:
“Rank is an industry-leading business with a strong portfolio of brands which are synonymous with the UK gaming industry. 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.”
The selection process for a permanent CEO included an executive search conducted by a nominations committee chaired by John Ott, during which both internal and external candidates were reviewed.
Chairman of Rank Group, John Ott, added:
“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.”
At the same time, Rank hasn’t yet announced a replacement for a new CFO, as the position was held by Harris before his newest appointment.
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