Rank Group plc, the UK leisure and gaming operator renowned for its Mecca bingo halls, has appointed Richard Harris as its permanent chief executive officer.
Effective immediately, Harris has transitioned from his role as interim CEO, a position he held since January 30, 2026. This decision follows a thorough executive search overseen by the company’s nominations committee, chaired by John Ott, with support from independent advisers at MWM Consulting.
The search examined both internal and external candidates, ultimately leading to a unanimous decision by the board to secure Harris in this role.
Harris joined the Rank Group board as chief financial officer (CFO) in May 2022. Before this, he held senior positions at several well-known consumer-focused companies, including Marks & Spencer, Foxtons, and Laird. As of now, there is no word on whether a search for a new CFO is underway to fill the position Harris vacated.
John H Ott, chairman of The Rank Group, expressed his support for Harris’ appointment, saying, “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.” He emphasized Harris’ role in advancing the company's objectives, specifically the goal of generating at least £100 million in operating profit and developing long-term strategy.
The quest for a new CEO began in January following the retirement announcement of Rank’s long-serving leader, John O’Reilly. O’Reilly took on the CEO role in May 2018 and had previously served as a non-executive director at William Hill and managing director of GVC’s Coral Interactive within the Gala Coral Group. Ott remarked on O’Reilly's departure, stating, “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.”
Harris shared his thoughts on his new role, stating, “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 is anticipating a strong conclusion to its fiscal year 2025/26, reporting an increase in like-for-like net gaming revenue to £205.4 million during the first three months of the year. The organization projects that it will exceed the previous fiscal year's operating profit, which stood at £63.7 million after factoring out the effects of club openings, closures, foreign exchange movements, and discontinued operations, by the fiscal year’s end on June 30, 2026.
