Connacht have confirmed the appointment of Brian Mahony as the new Head of Commercial & Marketing.
Brian, originally from Tipperary, is currently the Director of Marketing & Global Projects at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) – the world governing body for the Olympic sport of triathlon – in Vancouver, Canada.
Responsible for the creation of the global marketing and sales strategy, he has been at the forefront of many of ITU’s significant innovations during his 13 years at the organisation, resulting in significantly increased commercial growth. During his tenure the sport has seen a rapid growth in popularity and participation is on a sustained double digit growth curve.
Brian was instrumental in the introduction and formation of the ITU World Triathlon Series – an innovative concept in the sport which combines large scale mass participation events with the highest level of elite competition, located in iconic city centres. The Series is broadcast live and on-demand across 160 nations to an annual cumulative audience in excess of 170 million.
He also heads the creation of key Olympic campaigns and strategy for the inclusion of new and existing disciplines in the Olympic Games. He successfully led the campaign for the inclusion of Mixed Relay into the Commonwealth Games.
Previously, Brian was the Director of Media & TV, overseeing the federation’s television, digital and social strategy, and creating and managing the internal Communications team.
Brian will take up the post with Connacht Rugby on July 26th.
Commenting on the new appointment, Connacht Rugby CEO Willie Ruane said:
“We are delighted to have someone of Brian’s vast experience coming on board at Connacht Rugby. His background in the sporting industry will be invaluable but he will also bring an innovative approach with his international experience.
“It’s an exciting but also demanding time in terms of our commercial activity so it’s very timely to have Brian join the team.”
Brian Mahony added:
“Joining a club like Connacht Rugby with such a strong culture of excellence both on and off the field is a dream come true.
“Connacht’s long-term strategic vision, coupled with their professional and passionate players and staff make this a really exciting time to join the club, and I look forward to contributing to the growth of rugby in Connacht at every level.”
