中國香港欖球總會（欖總）任命華哲思（James Farndon）為新任行政總裁. Hong Kong China Rugby Appoints James Farndon as New Chief Executive Officer
【香港：2024年4月2日】中國香港欖球總會（欖總）任命華哲思 (James Farndon)為新任行政總裁。
華哲思(James Farndon)現任沙地阿拉伯奧林匹克訓練中心體育策略及高水平表現總監，他將接替自2017年領導中國香港欖球總會的麥偉彬(Robbie McRobbie)，擔任中國香港欖球總會行政總裁。
華哲思擁有豐富的體育發展策略、卓越的領導力、團隊發展及組織管理經驗。他目前在沙特阿拉伯奧林匹克委員會及沙特阿拉伯體育部工作，曾在UK Sport（英國政府為支援英國奧運和殘疾奧運設立的組織）擔任資深職務；他亦曾任職於英國體育學院、拉夫堡大學、欖球聯合會及中國香港欖球總會。華哲思曾於中國香港欖球總會擔任高水平欖球總經理。 另外，他亦曾擔任英格蘭及英國15人欖球及7人學生欖球隊的主教練。
華氏擁有策略管理碩士學位(布里斯托大學)，在應變管理方面具有豐富經驗，包括執行營運及預算計劃，以確保實現策略目標。
中國香港欖球總會主席蒲敬思(Chris Brooke)表示，華氏經過全球招聘程序、挑選本地及海外高質素人才、再經由遴選委員會進行嚴格評估。中國香港欖球總會董事會在3月27日的特別會議上，批准此項任命。
「在華哲思加入中國香港欖球總會的此時，我們的組織及香港欖球運動正經歷重大改變及機遇。」蒲敬思說。
「華氏在體育領導、資金、預算規劃、高水平績效及運營等各方面的經驗豐富，使他能夠與董事會、執行團隊、欖球界及廣泛持份者密切合作，以實現、落實中國香港欖球總會即將公布的最新的《策略計劃》。」
「華哲思將著手處理若干具戰略意義的重要事項，包括國泰/滙豐國際七人欖球賽遷往啟德體育園、香港國際七人欖球賽產品演化、於社區培肓並發展欖球運動，以及提升社區欖球的水平，並努力不懈，盡可能讓「橄欖成長基金」宣揚的社會價值，觸及更多港人。」
「對於中國香港欖球總會而言，這將是一個充滿挑戰，同時又令人亢奮的時刻，我們相信華哲思擁有的欖球技能、經驗、觀點，以及對欖球運動的熱愛，可以幫助我們建立一個互聯、可持續發展的生態系統，從而讓欖球運動進一步為本地社區，帶來積極社會影響。」
談及麥偉彬的離任，蒲敬思表示，麥偉彬多年來為中國香港欖球總會及本地社區，貢獻良多，為繼任者留下難以企及的高度。
「在香港，麥偉彬的名字宛如欖球的代名詞。他在擔任行政總裁、以及過去20年在欖總擔任不同職務期間，贏得大家的信任及尊重。他確是欖球運動及香港的最佳大使。」蒲敬思補充。
「麥偉彬在為中國香港欖球總會奉獻20年後離開欖總大家庭，我們深感不捨。」
「麥偉彬對香港欖球運動的了解深遠、廣闊，無與倫比。慶幸的是，麥偉彬將留港尋求新機遇，並秉承他的慷慨精神，以及對欖球運動的熱愛，他向我們保證，展望未來，他將隨時與我們分享其寶貴的知識及經驗。」
「我們祝願他未來一切順利。」
談及任命感受，華哲思，他對在2021-22年度擔任中國香港欖球總會新高水平欖球總經理後重返香港，十分期待。
「我熱愛欖球，熱愛運動，並享受團隊環境中工作，以取得成果」華氏表示。
「我很高興能接任麥偉彬，領導一個如此備受尊敬的組織，並滿懷熱情，致力讓盡可能更多人加入欖球社區，提供社會福利，當然還有舉辦全世界最好的七人欖球賽。
「我期待與專業的中國香港欖球總會團隊合作，盡可能與更多的持份者會面，延續麥偉彬在欖球界眾多領域的出色工作。」
「感謝董事會對我的信任，我當竭盡所能，不負眾望。」
資料及相片來源 : Elite Step Asia Limited / Hong Kong China Rugby
【Hong Kong, 1 April 2024】: Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) has appointed James Farndon as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Farndon, who is currently the Director of Sport Strategy and Performance at the Saudi Olympic Training Centre, will take over the reins from Robbie McRobbie, who has led HKCR as Chief Executive Officer since 2017.
Mr. Farndon brings a wide range of sports strategy, leadership, team development and organisational management experience to the position, including his current role under the Saudi Olympic Committee and Saudi Ministry of Sport, as well as senior roles with UK Sport (the UK government funding agency for elite sport), the English Institute for Sport, Loughborough University, the Rugby Football Union and HKCR, where he worked as General Manager, Performance. He has served as the head coach of the England and Great Britain student 15s and 7s teams. Mr. Farndon has an MSc in Strategic Management (University of Bristol) and has extensive experience in change management, including the implementation of operational and budget plans to ensure that strategic goals are achieved.
Mr. Farndon will formally commence the role on June 10th 2024, and will work side-by-side with Robbie McRobbie during a leadership transition. Robbie will leave HKCR in early July 2024.HKCR Chairman Chris Brooke said that Mr. Farndon was chosen after a global search exercise that produced high-quality local and international candidates who were rigorously assessed by a Nominations Committee. The HKCR Board approved the appointment at a special meeting on March 27th.
“James joins the HKCR at a time of significant change, and opportunity, both for our organisation and rugby in Hong Kong,” said Mr Brooke.“He has extensive experience in sports leadership, funding, budget planning, performance and operations which will enable him to work closely with the Board, the executive team, the rugby community, and a wide range of stakeholders to deliver the HKCR’s new strategic plan, which will be released soon.
“James will hit the ground running with a number of strategically important matters requiring close attention, including the move of the Cathay/HSBC Sevens to Kai Tak Sports Park, the evolution of the HK7s product, the nurturing of rugby at both community and performance levels, and ongoing efforts to increase access to the social value of “rugby for good” to as many people as possible in Hong Kong.
“It is a challenging and also exciting time for HKCR, and we believe that James has the skills, experience, outlook and love of rugby to help us build a connected, sustainable ecosystem that optimises the positive social impact of rugby to the benefit of the Hong Kong community.
”Mr Brooke said Robbie’s departure, after such an extended period of service to the HKCR and the Hong Kong community, would leave big shoes to fill.
“Robbie’s name is synonymous with rugby in Hong Kong, and he has earned the trust and respect of so many people during his tenure as Chief Executive Officer, as well as during his different roles in the organisation over the past two decades. He is a great ambassador for the game and for Hong Kong,” said Mr Brooke.
“We are of course sad to see Robbie leave the HKCR family after 20 years of dedicated service in the organisation.
“Robbie has a depth and breadth of knowledge about rugby in Hong Kong that is unmatched. Thankfully, Robbie will remain in Hong Kong to pursue new opportunities and, in keeping with his generous spirit and love of the game, he has assured us that he will always be available to share this knowledge and experience in the months and years ahead.
“We wish him all the very best for the future.”Speaking about his appointment, James Farndon said that he was looking forward to returning to Hong Kong after his role as General Manager of Performance at HKCR in 2021-22.“I love rugby, I love sport and I enjoy working in a team environment to deliver results,” he said.
“I am excited to take over the reins from Robbie to lead an organisation that is so well regarded and has such a passionate commitment to including as many people as possible in the rugby community, to delivering social benefit and of course to staging the best Rugby 7s tournament in the world.
“I am looking forward to working with the dedicated HKCR team, to meeting as many stakeholders as possible and to continuing Robbie’s excellent work across so many areas of the game.
“I thank the Board for placing their trust in me and I will do all that I can to ensure that I live up to the high expectations that the Board and rugby community has in relation to the Chief Executive Officer of HKCR.”
Information and Photo source : Elite Step Asia Limited / Hong Kong China Rugby
