St Helens CEO Ekoku steps down for family reasons
Abi Ekoku was previously chief executive at Bradford Bulls and held a similar interim role with the Rugby Football League
- Published
St Helens chief executive Abi Ekoku will step down from his position with the Super League club for family reasons.
Ekoku, a former interim CEO of the Rugby Football League (RFL), was appointed in April following the departure of Mike Rush.
In a statement,, external the club said that Ekoku would be returning to London and recognised his "commitment and contribution" during his time with Saints.
Joe Nicholl, a club director, has been appointed as chief operating officer in the midst of Ekoku's exit.
"We sincerely thank Abi for his contributions to the club during what has been a very challenging year," chairman Eamonn McManus said.
"In particular, we appreciate the personal sacrifices made by him due to his family residing in London.
"We wish him every success for the future, and he remains very much a friend of the club."
Ekoku, a former London Broncos, Halifax and Bradford winger, took over at the RFL on an interim basis last October.
He then joined Saints following the start of a 2026 season which saw them miss out on the Super League play-offs for the first time.
"We have great confidence in Joe successfully taking over the reins as COO of the club, given his 20 years to date on our board of directors, along with his deep experience in owning and running his own businesses," McManus added.
"The management changes also follow on from and reflect an organisational demarcation of the rugby and commercial sides of the business, which have been implemented recently to meet the growing complexities and demands of the sport.
"The club remains determined to improve performances at every level, both on and off the pitch in an increasingly demanding and competitive sporting landscape."
