Sally Bolton, the Chief Executive of Wigan Warriors RLFC and Orrell RUFC, is shortly to leave her position to join Wharton Consulting, the Harrogate-based strategic sports consultancy headed by former Rugby Football League Chief Executive Neil Tunnicliffe.
Sally has previous and significant consultancy experience garnered through a two-year spell as Marketing and Business Development Manager for the Sports Consulting Group of Deloitte & Touche between 2000 and 2001. As well as professional club management experience with Wigan/Orrell, she has also worked at a high level in sports governing bodies, having been a Rugby Football League marketing executive who worked on the 1995 Halifax Rugby League Centenary World Cup, and Events and Operations Manager for Super League (Europe) Ltd.
Sally Bolton said ‘I am looking forward to the new challenge and to working alongside Neil again. Wharton Consulting is growing from strength to strength, and it is exciting to be involved with such a vibrant business. I hope to be able to broaden the scope of Wharton Consulting with my specific skills and experience and look forward to bringing new clients to the company.’
In welcoming Sally to Wharton, Neil Tunnicliffe said ‘I’m delighted to have someone of Sally’s ability and track record on board. Her skill set and particular expertise will ideally complement those which we already have in-house, and enable us to expand the business into new areas, and to offer our clients new services – particularly events planning and organisation, and marketing and sponsorship servicing.
‘Having worked extensively with Sally before, I know that she will fit in with the Wharton ethos of client satisfaction through understanding, empathy, industry, thoroughness and innovation.’
Wharton Consulting offers strategic planning and management services, especially to national governing bodies of sport and sports clubs in response to Sports Council initiatives. It has particular expertise in business planning for sport, governance and management issues, the planning and management of World Class programmes, and developing partnerships at grassroots level.
Current clients include UK Athletics, England Rugby Ltd (the joint venture between the Rugby Football Union and the Zurich Premiership clubs), the British Judo Association and the National Ice Skating Association. Wharton is also currently involved in the establishment of a training centre for Bradford Bulls RLFC at Woodhouse Grove School, a facility which is also under consideration to serve as a Regional Centre of Excellence for Rugby League in Yorkshire.
For further information, contact:
Neil Tunnicliffe at Wharton Consulting, 13 North Park Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 5PD, tel. 01423 875511 / 07712 178275.