Northampton Saints have appointed Julia Chapman as their new CEO, just five and a half weeks after Mark Darbon announced on July 1 that he would be leaving cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens to join golf’s R&A.
Despite strong interest in the position, the reigning Gallagher Premiership champions didn’t need to look far to find Darbon’s replacement. Chapman, who has been with the club since 2016, was serving as the chief operating officer.
A statement from the club read: “Northampton Saints can today [Friday] announce that Julia Chapman (currently chief operating officer) has been appointed the club’s new chief executive, and will begin her new role in November. Chapman initially joined Saints back in September 2016 as finance director and has since helped to steer the club through the most challenging financial period in its 144-year history.
“The pandemic, followed by the loss of three other Premiership clubs, posed significant challenges for Saints. However, under Chapman’s leadership and robust financial management, the club emerged with a strong balance sheet and has recorded record revenues for three consecutive years.
“From September 2018 onwards, Chapman expanded her role at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, becoming finance and operations director. She oversaw stadium management, IT systems, the grounds team, and the catering partnership with Levy UK, in addition to managing the finance department before being promoted to chief operating officer in September 2022.”
“During her time at Northampton Saints, Julia Chapman has served on the club’s board and closely collaborated with outgoing CEO Mark Darbon to develop and implement the club’s long-term strategic plan. She has been instrumental in overseeing the club’s compliance with the salary cap framework and has led several major initiatives, including the development of the high-performance center and the ongoing hotel project. Additionally, she has supported key commercial programs, particularly in retail and ticketing.
Chapman has also revolutionized the club’s approach to sustainability. Under her guidance, the Saints signed the UN’s Sports for Climate Action Framework in April 2022 and committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040. A Cambridge University graduate and chartered accountant, Chapman has previously held senior finance roles at major UK companies such as Travis Perkins, Habitat, Home Retail Group, Legal & General, IBM, and PwC before joining Northampton.
Northampton chairman John White expressed his enthusiasm for Chapman’s appointment as CEO, stating, ‘We are thrilled to appoint Julia as our new chief executive. The level of interest in the role from high-caliber candidates, both within and outside of rugby, highlights the club’s esteemed position in elite sport. However, Julia stood out as the ideal choice for the board.
‘With over two decades of experience in various businesses and her deep understanding of the challenges we’ve faced, especially as chief operating officer, Julia was pivotal in guiding us through the pandemic and beyond, ensuring the club’s strong position moving forward.
‘Having been with Saints since 2016, Julia has an intimate knowledge of the club’s culture, structure, history, and community role in Northampton. We wanted a smooth transition following Mark Darbon’s successful tenure, and we are confident that Julia’s insight and understanding of our priorities will help us continue to improve and drive success on and off the pitch.
‘We believe in nurturing talent within the organization, and Julia has continually expanded her role at Saints. With Mark Darbon still with us for three more months before he moves to The R&A, this transition period will allow Julia to step seamlessly into the CEO role before officially starting in November.’
Chapman expressed her excitement for the new role, saying, ‘I couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity to lead Northampton Saints as chief executive. Having expanded my role at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens over the past few years, this feels like a natural progression for me. It’s a tremendous honor to be part of this historic club’s journey.'”
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