PREM Rugby appoints Charlotte Samuelson as Chief Operating Officer

PREM Rugby is pleased to announce the appointment of Charlotte Samuelson as Chief Operating
Officer.

Samuelson has joined from World Rugby where she served as their own Chief Operating Officer from
2022 and played a central role in the organisation’s business transformation.

As the new COO of PREM Rugby, Samuelson will have executive responsibility for the newly-formed
Club Office, Finance, HR and business transformation.

The Club Office role will see her work closely with the 10 Gallagher PREM clubs, The RFU, the Champ
Board and PWR following February’s landmark agreement for the PREM to create a new expansion
league.

During Samuelson’s tenure at World Rugby she established its global services division and served as a director on the boards of both the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 and the Men’s Rugby World Cup
2027.

She also helped deliver the record-breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup in England and was previously
a non-executive director at Surrey County Cricket Club.

A qualified auditor with degrees in English & Philosophy and Psychology, Samuelson brings more than
two decades of senior leadership experience across financial services and professional services, with
previous roles at Close Brothers, Vanquis Bank, Barclays Bank, Grant Thornton, EY and the BBC.

Simon Massie-Taylor, CEO of PREM Rugby, said: “Charlotte is an outstanding operator with a track
record of delivering at the highest level in sport, so I am delighted to welcome her to the team.

“Her experience leading complex organisations at multiple levels, combined with her deep
understanding of the rugby landscape, makes her the ideal person to lead our newly-formed Club
Office with our partners throughout the game.”

Samuelson said: “I am thrilled to be joining PREM Rugby at such an exciting time for the league and the game as a whole.

“Driving the PREM Rugby expansion plans through the Club Office is something that I can’t wait to get started on.”