A wide reaching recruitment campaign invited candidates to apply whom had both relevant career/life experience combined with a strong interest, connection, and passion for rugby in Scotland. From the impressive and diverse pool of high calibre candidates that applied, Alison Milne MBE and Maxine Manditsch, were the two candidates invited to join the SRU Custodian board as Non-Executive Directors.

These appointments follow a recommendation from the SRU Board Nominations Committee to the SRU Board, who also confirmed that Lorne Crerar’s term as SRU Independent Chair of the Board of Custodians is being extended by two years, until October 2025.

Alison and Maxine will join the Scottish Rugby Union Board and sit alongside its Chair, Professor Lorne Crerar CBE, current Scottish Rugby President Colin Rigby, former Scottish Rugby President Ian Barr, Vice-President Keith Wallace, and fellow independent Non-Executive Directors, David Grevemberg and Cheryl Black.

Rugby has played a key role in Alison’s life with family  links to Stirling County Rugby Club and Howe of Fife RFC, and supporting her son’s rugby playing ambitions.

She brings director level experience from her involvement in organisations relating to food and drink and the agricultural and rural affairs sector, bringing extensive knowledge and experience within consulting and project management roles where she has supported rural economic development initiatives across Scotland.

Speaking of how rugby has shaped her life, she said: “If I look back at how rugby shaped my upbringing, there is no doubt that the strongest influence was through its role in emphasising the power of community.

“As a child there was familiarity and security to every weekend being surrounded by those who viewed the rugby club of which they were part as an extension of their own family.

“As a child I did not play rugby,  but never once did that exclude me from the community that surrounded the club, arms were outstretched to every member of the family regardless of their playing ambitions.  For me, this was a powerful message that I’ve carried throughout my life i.e., the power of community and the value of diversity and inclusion.”

Maxine has more than thirty years’ experience in the public and private sector in the UK and internationally. Her early career began at Grant Thornton followed by Price Waterhouse Coopers. She held senior leadership roles in oversight within the United Nations, including the World Health Organisation. Maxine’s expertise lies in policy and process development in a range of complex areas and challenging environments.

Maxine is an avid supporter of rugby in Scotland at all levels of the game and has links to her local rugby club in North Berwick .

Maxine said: “Rugby has been part of my family life for many years. My fondness for the game helped me to promote and support rugby in different corners of the world and convey the camaraderie and community spirit inherent in the game. I’m looking forward to making a contribution to the sport which has given me and my family so much enjoyment over the years”

Chair of the Scottish Rugby Union Board, Professor Lorne Crerar, said: “It is great to be able to finalise the composition of the Scottish Rugby Union Board with these two appointments. This has been a wide reaching recruitment campaign and thorough selection process, and Alison and Maxine are excellent additions to the Board.

“Rural affairs and rugby are linked in many ways due to the geographic spread of rugby clubs across Scotland. Alison’s experience within this sector and knowledge of Scottish communities will be a big asset to us.

“Maxine brings a wealth of global experience in building an organisation’s resilience through the right policies and processes being in place to drive appropriate accountabilities and ownership in complex organisations, and this, along with her deep interest and connection to rugby will be of huge value to us.

Scottish Rugby President, Colin Rigby added: “With the appointment of Alison and Maxine, I am excited to be able to really push forward with the work of the Scottish Rugby Union Board. Both individuals come with a vast experience in their chosen fields and importantly, a huge passion for rugby in Scotland.

“The confirmation of Alison and Maxine’s appointments, along with Lorne now being confirmed as Chair of the Scottish Rugby Union Board until October 2025, concludes our recent activity on confirming the composition of the Scottish Rugby Union Board and provides a great platform for us to continue to further embed our new governance structure.”