Board Changes at Wigan Warriors

• Wigan Rugby League Club Ltd today announces changes to the Board of Directors of the club. 
• Professor Chris Brookes moves from Non-Executive Director up to Vice-Chairman.  
• Ben Goodburn joins the Board as Non-Executive Director.

Wigan Rugby League Club Ltd can today announce changes to the Board of Directors of the club. 

Professor Chris Brookes is a well known figure in Rugby League circles having been working in the game for 27 years. As Chief Medical Officer for the Rugby Football League along with the England national team, he has worked tirelessly to make certain that the game is compliant with all the necessary medical provisions. Professor Brookes has a rich history with Wigan Warriors having led the Clubs medical strategy, the recruitment and management of key medical staff and the development of the Clubs medical standards over many years. 

He is a key representative on the games Clinical Advisory Board which establishes the strict guidelines and protocols that the sport must follow. He has been a leading figure in driving concussion management, ensuring that the players are protected. He has also been Chief Doctor and Executive Medical Director Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Consultant Emergency Medicine, in a career spanning over 40 years.

Over the last 10 years Ben Goodburn has been Group General Counsel of a publicly listed data and analytics business leading its global acquisition work across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific supporting its growth from a £100m business to a market capitalisation of £1.6bn.

Ben has also managed a wider portfolio of privately held investments in sport, media and tech – all data driven businesses disrupting their traditional markets. Ben qualified as a solicitor with Clifford Chance LLP working in its London, Brussels, Singapore and Paris offices with major global clients across a range of industry sectors, including client secondments to Goldman Sachs and Barclays Capital. Following which Ben joined the British Olympic Association where he was lawyer to Team GB in the lead up to and during the London 2012 Olympic Games, the most successful performance of a British Olympic Team in 104 years.

Ben has used his passion for sport to drive community initiatives. He has completed many marathons and Ironman competitions including representing Great Britain at the 70.3 Ironman World Championships and running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days raising over £100,000 for various children’s charities.

Wigan Warriors Chairman Ian Lenagan added: “After 40 years of service to the NHS, 2 years of service as Non-Executive Director on the Wigan board and decades of expert medical advice to Wigan, the RFL and the England Rugby Team, Chris’s retirement from the most senior levels of Hospital Trust Executive Management allows Chris to spend more time at Wigan Rugby League Club Ltd.

“His immediate move to become Vice-Chairman will allow his experience and skills to be used more extensively to the benefit of Wigan Warriors.

“As a lawyer and experienced commercial executive, Ben Goodburn brings welcome extra skills and experience to the Wigan Board” 

Chief Executive, Kris Radlinski added: “The role of Vice-Chairman has never been more suited to an individual such as Chris Brookes. He is an English Rugby League legend who is admired for being a leader in his profession. Although many will have only seen him pitch-side or in his medical scrubs, few will know that he has had a huge influence on the Club’s internal operations for well over a decade. His leadership during the pandemic was invaluable and he has become a vital asset as we return to normality. 

“The addition of Ben Goodburn to the Wigan Warriors board only makes us stronger. Ben’s background and vast skill set will allow us to govern the Club better. Having spent time with Ben many times over the last 6 months, I have no doubt that he will enhance our organisation. I look forward to working alongside Ben and improving my own personal skill set “

“This Club has been built on succession planning. Short, medium and long-term planning are vital in any business but in the unpredictable world of professional sport, it is an absolute necessity. I would like to ask all Wigan fans to welcome the new additions into our very special Club.”