Rank Group plc, the UK leisure and gaming operator famed for its Mecca bingo halls, has appointed Richard Harris as its permanent chief executive officer. Harris has been serving as the interim CEO since January 30, 2026, and his appointment takes effect immediately following a comprehensive executive search conducted by the company. This search was overseen by Rank's nominations committee, chaired by John Ott, and aided by independent consultants from MWM Consulting.
The search evaluated a range of candidates from both within and outside the organization, ultimately leading to a unanimous decision to appoint Harris.
Harris joined the Rank Group board as chief financial officer (CFO) in May 2022. Before his tenure at Rank, he gained substantial experience in senior roles within prominent consumer-oriented companies such as Marks & Spencer, Foxtons, and Laird.
As of now, there are no plans to seek a replacement for the CFO position previously held by Harris.
John H Ott, chairman of The Rank Group, expressed his enthusiasm regarding Harris's appointment, stating, “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.”
Ott elaborated, “I am pleased that he has agreed to lead Rank as it continues to progress the delivery of the medium-term objective of generating at least £100m operating profit and the development of the longer-term strategy.”
The process for finding a new CEO began in January when John O’Reilly, the previous CEO, announced his retirement. O’Reilly had been with Rank since May 2018 and previously held positions, such as managing director at GVC’s Coral Interactive within the Gala Coral Group.
“His extensive gambling industry knowledge and experience, as well as deep operational skills have combined to ensure that Rank is well positioned to build on the direction he established,” noted Ott regarding O’Reilly’s departure.
In response to his appointment, Harris stated, “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.
“I'd like to thank all my colleagues for their commitment and support over the last four years and look forward to an exciting future as CEO of the Rank Group.”
Rank anticipates a strong finish to its fiscal year 2025/26, reporting that its like-for-like net gaming revenue reached £205.4 million in the first three months of the year. The company’s robust profit conversion positions it well to exceed the previous year's operating profit of £63.7 million, which does not account for the effects of club openings, closures, foreign exchange fluctuations, and discontinued operations, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.
