Corporate high flyer Suzanne Young starts work as NRL chief operating officer
Dave Smith with NRL chief operating officer Suzanne Young at League Central. Picture: Adam Taylor
CORPORATE high flyer and former Australian surf lifesaver of the year Suzanne Young has been appointed as the NRL’s chief operating officer.
She started work at NRL headquarters this morning.
Young has worked for some of Australia’s biggest companies, including Leighton Holdings, Qantas and the Commonwealth Bank.
She replaces Jim Doyle, who has returned to New Zealand to take over the Warriors.
Young has three teenage boys and three teenage step-children and says in her professional profile that she is a country girl at heart.
“I grew up on a farm outside Ungarie in the NSW Riverina and attended boarding school in Albury before moving to Sydney to study at university,” she said.
“For the past 20 years, I have successfully developed and led customer focused, strategic change initiatives in large organisations, including the Commonwealth Bank, Qantas and Unisys, that have delivered sustainable productivity improvements and innovation.
The NRL's new chief operating officer Suzanne Young at League Central. Picture: Adam Taylor
“I have championed diversity and indigenous reconciliation and am an experienced executive coach and mentor.
NRL CEO Dave Smith said Young had “a passion and commitment to sport as a participant and volunteer coach, official and administrator”.
“Suzanne has exceptional management and leadership skills and experience gained from operating at a senior level in global companies,” Smith said.
“Combined with her life-long commitment to sport and her experience in sports as a volunteer and administrator, Suzanne is a great fit for the complexity of the chief operating officer’s role in rugby league.
The NRL's new chief operating officer Suzanne Young at League Central. Picture: Adam Taylor
“Rugby League is in good shape and Suzanne’s contribution will help the game continue to improve and grow as a professional and well-managed sport that connects with its fans, members and gives back to its communities.”
Young said she was looking forward to the role, which combined her skills and passion.
“I have been successful in business because of the skills that I have learned in sport such as discipline, courage, team work, inspiring leadership and good communication,” she said.
“Through my own experiences and those of my children, I have seen first-hand the power of sport in developing healthy minds and bodies and in influencing and building strong communities.
“And, as a mum of teenage boys, I also know how important sport is in building young people’s respect, self-confidence and resilience.”
Replies
Good luck to her but if first impressions count... meh.
"...I have successfully developed and led customer focused, strategic change initiatives in large organisations..."
“I have championed diversity and indigenous reconciliation and am an experienced executive coach and mentor."
“I have been successful in business because of the skills that I have learned in sport such as discipline, courage, team work, inspiring leadership and good communication"
"I trot out the same bullcrap lines that my new boss does every single day... no wonder the dope hired me. You think you've heard buzz-phrases and marketing spin before - just wait and see what happens when myself, Dave and Teflon Todd put our heads together".
Doesn't hold a candle to Raelene Castle in the looks department though.
MR ED WOULD BE PROUD OF THOSE BARRY BEEFS
Gee hard to be thrilled with this appointment, Doyle was a RL man through and through and they replace him with a woman with no clue about RL. It also makes GreenTurd more powerful which can't be a good thing for the game.
Whatever happened to picking the best person for the job?
I hope she is but it looks an awful lot like another private body bowing to pressure from the PC brigade.
Absolutely - it's like she has taken the phrase "my kids play sport" and run it though some kind of machine that turns it into some impressive feel good buzz-worded marketing lingo.
No doubt she borrowed the machine from Dave and Teflon Todd.
The NRL is in a disgraceful state with the non performers Grant, Smith and Greenberg. Now they add another nuffie to the rabble. The once great game is facing a dreadful demise.
Good to see we are fitting the bogan stereotypes by commenting on her appearance and not her skillset.
u reckon she would put out on a first date though!!!!!!