Richard Harris has been officially confirmed as the permanent chief executive of Rank Group following six months in the role on an interim basis.
Harris had been serving as temporary CEO since 30 January 2026, stepping up after the retirement of former chief executive John O’Reilly.
He originally joined the Rank executive board as chief financial officer in May 2022, bringing with him senior experience from outside the gambling sector.
Before entering the gaming industry, Harris held senior positions at well-known British businesses including Marks and Spencer, Foxtons, and Laird.
Rank informed investors through a regulatory news update on 13 July that Harris was selected following a recruitment process that considered both internal and external candidates.
The search was overseen by Rank’s nominations committee and supported by recruitment firm MWM Consulting.
Harris said: “Rank is an industry-leading business with a strong portfolio of brands which are synonymous with the UK gaming industry.”
He added: “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.”
Harris also said: “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 chair John Ott confirmed that the board reached its decision unanimously after the thorough recruitment process concluded.
Ott said: “Following a thorough recruitment process which identified a strong field of candidates, the board unanimously agreed that Richard was the outstanding choice.”
Harris now takes charge of driving the business toward its stated medium-term target of generating at least £100m in annual operating profit.
A Q3 trading update indicated the operator currently expects to deliver full-year like-for-like operating profit of £68m for the 2025/26 financial year.
Former CEO O’Reilly earned a total remuneration package in excess of £1.5m for the 2024/25 financial year, while Harris earned £914k during the same period as CFO.
Rank operates a well-established portfolio of UK gambling brands, including Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo, alongside its growing digital businesses.
The company is scheduled to announce its preliminary results for the 12 months ending 30 June 2026 on 13 August 2026.
