Scottish Rugby announced today that Mark Dodson has been appointed as Chief Executive.Commenting on his appointment, Dodson said: It is a great privilege to be appointed as Chief Executive of Scottish Rugby.I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead Scottish Rugby, a globally recognised organisation, as it continues the development of the game throughout Scotland.Mr Dodson, who will take up his position on 19 September 2011, will succeed current Scottish Rugby Chief Executive, Jock Millican, who took up the position on an interim basis in June earlier this year.Mr Dodson was appointed to the role of Chief Executive following an extensive recruitment process that was led by the Scottish Rugby Chairman, Sir Moir Lockhead, and Scottish Rugby President and former Scotlandand British & Irish Lions captain, Ian McLauchlan._ The appointment panel also included Scottish Rugby Council and Board Director Ed Crozier and Non Executive Director and interim Chief Executive Jock Millican.Mr Dodson, who hails from Manchester, joins from his most recent position as Chief Executive Officer of the Guardian Media Group’s Regional Media division. He is an active rugby supporter and former amateur player.He said: I very much look forward to working with the staff and the Board and, of course, getting to know all the key rugby stakeholders in the months ahead.With playing numbers growing in recent years, with the national team currently ranked seventh in the world and preparing to compete in the Rugby World Cup, I am fortunate to be joining at such an exciting time.My initial focus will be to work closely with the senior management team and the Scottish Rugby Board in finalising the new strategic plan for the organisation and to lead on its delivery._I will be spending time with Jock Millican and the Board in the run-up to my appointment to ensure there is a smooth transition.I would also like to offer my support and best wishes to Andy Robinson and the Scotlandteam who I know are working extremely hard as they prepare for the Rugby World Cup.Scottish Rugby President, Ian McLauchlan, welcomed the appointment: I am delighted that we have been able to secure Mark as our new Chief Executive. He was the outstanding candidate in a very strong field and brings a wealth of business and commercial experience which will stand the organisation in good stead in the years ahead.Scottish Rugby Chairman, Sir Moir Lockhead OBE, stated: It’s great news that we have managed to appoint a candidate of Mark’s calibre to the post of Chief Executive of Scottish Rugby.’the Scottish Rugby Board is focused on developing rugby at all levels and we will unveil more details of this when we publish our Strategic Plan in coming months._ Mark shares our vision for delivering excellence both on and off the park and I welcome his appointment.I also wish to thank our non Executive Director Jock Millican for his hard work and commitment whilst Chief Executive. Jock has done a great job and the Board are extremely grateful for his leadership in recent months.Mark Dodson: summary biography – Mark began his career in 1979 working for the Guardian Media Group and then moving on to Reed Regional Newspapers. He then returned to GMG in 1988 to work in the Advertisement Department of the Manchester Evening News, becoming Advertisement Director in 1992.In 2000, Mark was appointed as a non-executive Director of GMG Radio, which grew to become one of the top five radio companies in the UK. In October 2005, he became Chief Executive Officer of Guardian Media Group Regional Media; he was also appointed to the Guardian Media Group Board the same month.Mark departed GMGR following the succesful_ acquisition of GMGR by Trinity Mirror in 2010. He is married with two grown-up children.