Rank Group plc, a prominent UK leisure and gaming operator known for its Mecca bingo halls, has officially appointed Richard Harris as its permanent chief executive officer. Harris, who has served as the interim CEO since January 30, 2026, stepped into his new role immediately. This decision follows a comprehensive executive search led by Rank’s nominations committee, chaired by John Ott, and assisted by independent advisors from MWM Consulting. The search considered both internal and external candidates, ultimately resulting in a unanimous endorsement for Harris.
Harris joined the Rank Group board as chief financial officer (CFO) in May 2022. Before his role at Rank, he gained valuable experience in senior positions at well-known consumer-focused companies such as Marks & Spencer, Foxtons, and Laird.
Currently, there are no indications that a search for a replacement CFO is underway following Harris’s transition to CEO.
John H Ott, chairman of The Rank Group, expressed his support for the appointment, saying, “I am delighted to confirm Richard’s appointment as CEO of The Rank Group. Following a thorough recruitment process that identified a strong field of candidates, the board unanimously agreed that Richard was the outstanding choice.” He further stated, “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 search for a new CEO began in January of this year, following the retirement announcement of longtime leader John O’Reilly. O’Reilly had served as CEO since May 2018 after previously holding a non-executive director position at William Hill and managing director of GVC’s Coral Interactive.
Reflecting on O’Reilly’s retirement, Ott noted, “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.”
Upon his appointment, Harris remarked, “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 like-for-like net gaming revenue surged to £205.4 million in the first three months of this year. The company expressed confidence that it will exceed the previous fiscal year’s operating profit of £63.7m, adjusted for club openings, closures, foreign exchange fluctuations, and discontinued operations, by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2026.
