RFU: Bill Sweeney bonus defended by former senior official
Rugby Football League chief executive Bill Sweeney was given an extra £358,000 in a bonus package in the same year the body suffered losses and redundancies, a plan that has been defended by a former senior official.
Genevieve Shore, former chair of the RFU remuneration committee, said she was “extremely pleased” with the scheme.
Sweeney’s salary has been increased by £742,000, taking total remuneration to £1.1 million in the 2023-24 financial year.
His and other executives’ pay packages sparked a grassroots revolt, and called for Sweeney to be fired.
Shore explained: “I think the RFU board operates very professionally and to FTSE 100 (the largest collection of listed companies in the UK) standards.
“I think if the executive team has met the goals that were set for them, that’s all you can ask for.”
Before leaving the RFU in 2022, Shore was a board member, which ran a program called the Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP).
The LTIP is designed to retain senior managers during and after the pandemic, with a target-linked bonus at the end.
“I was really pleased with all the governance and communication that took place,” said Shore, now executive chairman of Premiership Women’s Rugby.
“What happens beyond 2022, I obviously don’t know, but I feel like everything is ready and in a good position.
“I’ve worked in payroll in many organizations.
“The challenge for us is: ‘Can we get out of COVID and keep this team through COVID?’
“LTIP did what it was supposed to do – the majority of the team stayed during that time.
“The job of the executive team and the board is to develop a succession plan and ensure a fairly seamless transition after the LTIP.
“You either re-emerge or you change your team. It’s always a granular decision that the executive team has to make.”
Former RFU president Tom Ilube was a member of the RFU remuneration committee that approved Sweeney’s latest bonus. Step down in December.
His departure comes amid confirmation of an independent review of the LTIP scheme, which increased the pay of Sweeney and five other executives.
