NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson Resigns After Six Years, Set to Join Family in Australia.

Mark Robinson, CEO of New Zealand Rugby, has resigned after six years in the role. He will leave NZR at the end of the year to join his family in Australia. Robinson stated that the past six years have been marked by rapid change and unprecedented challenges, but believes the foundations of the organization are strong and the game is well-positioned for the future.

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has secured two significant sponsorship deals as the organization prepares for a leadership transition. Mark Robinson, the CEO of NZR, will step down at the end of the year to join his family in Australia. The new sponsorships, with Gallagher Insurance and Toyota, aim to bolster the organization's financial stability and brand presence.

Gallagher Insurance, an American company, has become the new sponsor for NZR. The multi-year deal will see Gallagher's logo appear on both the training and match-day shorts of all NZR's representative national teams, including the men's All Blacks, women's Black Ferns, Māori All Blacks, and Sevens teams. Additionally, Gallagher will become the official insurance broker of NZR and a regional partner for multiple All Blacks Clinics annually. The company has also signed All Blacks player Beauden Barrett as a global ambassador [1, 2, 3, 5].

The deal with Gallagher Insurance is a strategic move for NZR, given Gallagher's deep connection with the sport and its business focus in New Zealand and globally. Mark Robinson, the outgoing CEO, praised the partnership, stating, "This is a partnership that reflects the scale, ambition, and passion for rugby both our organizations have. We couldn’t be more excited to align with Gallagher Insurance, who already have deep expertise in elite sport, along with a key business focus in New Zealand and globally. This partnership helps solidify where we’re heading, not just with our teams on-field, but as a sporting brand off the field too." [1, 2, 3, 5].

Meanwhile, Japanese automobile company Toyota has signed a multimillion-dollar sponsorship agreement with NZR. The three-year deal will see Toyota branding appear across training jerseys and various training kits for all New Zealand national teams. This deal follows the unexpected termination of the sponsorship agreement with British petrochemical giant Ineos, which pulled out of its six-year sponsorship halfway through the deal. NZR finally reached a settlement agreement with Ineos last month [2, 3].

These sponsorship deals come as NZR navigates through a period of rapid change and unprecedented challenges, as highlighted by Mark Robinson's resignation. The new sponsorships aim to strengthen the organization's financial foundation and brand image, positioning NZR well for the future [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

References:

[1] https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/mark-robinson-nz-rugby-ceo-on-the-new-sponsorship-deal-with-gallagher-insurance/
[2] https://www.sportcal.com/news/nzr-brings-in-gallagher-as-shorts-sponsor-in-multi-year-deal/
[3] https://www.sportcal.com/sponsorship/nzr-brings-in-gallagher-as-shorts-sponsor-in-multi-year-deal/
[4] https://www.iheart.com/podcast/211-the-mike-hosking-breakfast-24837692/episode/mark-robinson-nz-rugby-ceo-on-279179500/
[5] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-04/new-zealand-all-blacks-sign-gallagher-insurance-as-sponsor