ROGER CLARK Highlanders Club GM & CEO

Highlanders Super Rugby Club Chief Executive Officer Roger Clark has had a front row seat to one of the greatest professional rugby turnarounds in recent years as he succeeded in moving the struggling Highlanders Super Rugby club from the brink of bankruptcy to Super Rugby champions after they beat the 21-14 in July. Clark is also the team’s General Manager.

“The Highlanders story is a fascinating one with the usual amount of blood, sweat and tears associated with sport,” Clark said. “It uncovers how the smallest club in the competition, with the least resources, managed to win arguably the toughest international rugby competition in the world. It’s a remarkable story even for someone like me who witnessed it all first-hand.

“The conference will be a great opportunity for me to share some of the learnings from the Highlanders story with my colleagues from Canada. Rugby Canada need to be congratulated for pulling together such a comprehensive National Rugby Conference involving high caliber presenters and facilitators and I am looking forward to meeting new people and learning from their experiences.”

INSPIRE THE FUTURE OF CANADIAN RUGBY

www.rugbyconference.ca Clark took the CEO position in late 2011 and over the ensuing four years transformed the club into title contenders. Integral in signing future superstars Aaron Smith, , and , he also assisted in retaining players such as , all critical players for the based club, all of whom have gone on to represent the All Blacks.

To help salvage the future of the Highlanders, Clark first sought current Head Coach to lead the club. He oversaw the separation of the organization from the Otago Rugby Football Union when he took the reins. The Highlanders ended a 12-year playoff absence in 2014 before going on to win the competition in 2015, Clark’s fifth season as CEO.

Before his appointment with the Highlanders, Clark was the chief executive for 12 years steering the organization to claiming NZ provincial rugby’s most cherished prize, the Ranfurly Shield, for the first time in 50 years.

INSPIRE THE FUTURE OF CANADIAN RUGBY

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