Mark Robinson will stand down as New Zealand Rugby chief executive at year’s end.

The news was announced on Monday morning, with the former All Blacks back to relocate to Australia to join his family on the Gold Coast. It’s believed the 51-year-old does not have a job lined up.

Robinson said it had been a rewarding journey leading the governing body during his six years in charge.

“Our vision is to inspire and unify through rugby and that opportunity has been an easy motivator for me every single day, from the community game right through to the international level,” he said.

“I have had the privilege of leading an amazing group of people at NZR who have a huge amount of care for the game. There’s a deep hunger to get better every day no matter how well we think we are doing and that drive sits right across every person working for NZR, our competitions and our national teams.”

NZR CEO Mark Robinson will stand down at the end of 2025 after six years in charge. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Recently appointed NZR chairman David Kirk thanked Robinson for his service, which included seven years on the board before being named CEO.

“On behalf of the Board, I’d like to recognise Mark for his great service to NZR and the sport. He has led with a passion for rugby and we thank him for his commitment over the past six years,” Kirk said in a statement.

“Mark has driven significant change, both in New Zealand and internationally, and the Board believes the organisation is well-placed to capitalise on this. Of note was his leadership through a global pandemic that saw the game deal with an unprecedented crisis.

“We also understand Mark’s desire to relocate to Australia where his family are now all living. He will go with our best wishes when he moves there at the end of this year. Mark will continue to lead for the remainder of the year as we conclude key projects, and the Board will now commence recruitment for the new role.”

Robinson’s legacy will be mixed.

The former All Black took over on the eve of Covid-19, which brought the game to a halt. It also led to Super Rugby undergoing extreme change.

Robinson was also the face of the $200 million private equity deal with US firm Silver Lake, which faced backlash and scrutiny from every level of the game.

More recently, the NZR posted a near-$20m loss for the 2024 financial year, which came in spite of record-breaking revenue of $285m. The increased cost pressures come in large part to the investment in women’s rugby, provincial rugby and the commerical arm.

Major sponsor Ineos also abruptly walked out midway through its $21m, six-year deal with NZR. Toyota has since been secured as a new sponsor on a three-year deal.

The All Blacks lost in the 2023 World Cup final, but have kept hold of the Bledisloe Cup during Mark Robinson’s tenure. (Photo by Dan Mullan – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Robinson, who has a degree from Cambridge, was also in charge during a bumpy period with the All Blacks as the governing body faced pressure to sack Ian Foster after dropping the series against Ireland on home soil. Ultimately, changes were made but Foster stayed on as head coach and led the All Blacks to the World Cup final a year later.

The Black Ferns also won the 2022 World Cup on home soil after changes to the program, including the head coach, following a review into the team’s culture.

Robinson admitted his tenure in charge of NZR hadn’t been easy, but believed he was leaving the game in good shape.

“The past six years have been a period of rapid change, or unprecedented challenges through the pandemic, and significant evolution across commercial, competitions and structures,” he said.

“I will reflect on that as I get closer to stepping away, but I firmly believe the foundations of our organisation are extremely strong and the game is well-placed for the future.”

Robinson added that he welcomed and enjoyed the robust discussions he had with his compatriots during his time on the NZR board.

“That reflects the immense passion that so many Kiwis feel for our sport and the special place rugby has in our country. The fact people can come up to me, share their views and talk with incredible knowledge and depth of feeling is something we never want to take for granted,” he said.

“My focus now is on supporting the Board and leading the organisation through a pivotal year, including ensuring the Black Ferns have the support they need to defend the Rugby World Cup in England. We also remain focused on implementing a new financial model for the game in New Zealand and completing the remaining work on what will be an exciting future international calendar.”

Scott Robertson was unveiled as Ian Foster’s replacement as All Blacks coach by NZR CEO Mark Robinson in mid-2023. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Before handing over the reins, Robinson will also need to sign off on its next broadcast deal.

Changes to the international calendar, including the Nations Cup and World Club Cup, which has yet to be agreed by Super Rugby officials, must also be ironed out.

The future of the National Provincial Competition, as well as the next collective employment agreement, also needs to be finalised.