With the appointment of Hawks CEO Kenny Baillie to a similar post at Glasgow Warriors, the tradition of Hawks supplying the professional game with personnel continues.

This has taken several forms - it has been players from Glenn Metcalfe to Max Evans - Coaches like Shade Munro and now with an able administrator, Kenny Baillie.

All at Hawks wish Kenny good luck in his new post when he takes over at that citadel in north Glasgow, Firhill - the home of the Maryhill Magyars who of course took their colours from a well known rugby club.

Kenny will now to have embrace that special Maryhill humour just like former Thistle manager John Lambie when told a concussed striker did not know who he was. "That's great, tell him he's Pele and get him back on."






KENNY BAILLIE CONFIRMED AS WARRIORS CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Glasgow Warriors today announce that Kenny Baillie will become the club’s new Chief Executive.

Looking forward to joining the Warriors, Baillie said: “As someone who grew up in Glasgow playing for the district at every level, I am delighted to be appointed Chief Executive of Glasgow Warriors. I have been passionate about rugby all my life and the opportunity to lead Glasgow Warriors is something I am very excited about.

“I feel honoured to be working with a very talented group of staff, players and coaches and I firmly believe that with a strong support behind them, the Warriors can regularly challenge for and win silverware.

“Glasgow Warriors is the only professional sports team in the city of Glasgow to be playing competitively across the UK, Ireland and continental Europe which, to me, demonstrates the organisation’s potential.

“Working in partnership with all the rugby clubs in the west of Scotland and beyond is essential if the Warriors are to realise their full potential and I am looking forward to further developing and creating new relationships with as many clubs as possible.

“With rugby 7s a key element of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the Warriors have a great opportunity to work with the organising committee and other stakeholders to raise the profile of rugby in Glasgow and across Scotland.

“I am genuinely excited at working with the community board and the Warriors staff to grow all areas of the club.”

Baillie will join the Warriors from Scottish Hydro Premier 1 club Glasgow Hawks where he held the position of Chief Executive and Managing Director for which he was responsible for all commercial, sales, marketing and PR activities as well as all rugby matters.

A former pupil of Hutchesons’ Grammar School, Baillie has also been instrumental in Glasgow Hawks’ community programme which has seen the introduction of a new mini-section and the expansion of the club’s youth development programme in Glasgow.

Prior to his position as CEO of Glasgow Hawks, Baillie was the Business Development Director for knowledge management and information technology firm ‘Dynamic Knowledge Corporation’ and the Vice President of business development for ‘Graham America, Inc’.

Scottish Rugby Chief Executive, Gordon McKie, said: “Kenny grew up in Glasgow and represented Scotland at age-grade level out of the school and club game in the city.

“He is well-known in the club game as the chief executive at Glasgow Hawks and a key part of his role will be to cement the ever-improving links between the clubs – from Oban Lorne in the north to Wigtownshire in the south-west – and Glasgow Warriors and ensure greater visibility of professional players as role models within the wider community.

“I thank interim CEO Colin Thomson for the excellent progress made under his interim leadership. During Colin’s stint at the Warriors we have seen attendances grow, experienced an increase in Season Ticket sales and launched other initiatives which position Glasgow Warriors as both accessible and something to aspire to.

“In addition to growing the Warriors’ support and embracing the wider community, Kenny’s role will be to work in tandem with other stakeholders, including Glasgow City Council, to oversee Glasgow Warriors’ relocation to Scotstoun stadium as their training base next year.”

Chairman of the Glasgow Warriors community board, Charles Shaw added: “Kenny’s appointment as Chief Executive of Glasgow Warriors is a real boost to the club.

“He’s well qualified to do the job and the Board are looking forward to working with him over the coming season and beyond.

“I would also like to extend thanks on behalf of all Glasgow Warriors supporters to Colin Thomson who stepped in as interim CEO and has overseen a number of positive changes in the short time he has been here.”

Not only has Baillie a proven track record in business, he also possesses impressive on-field qualities, having captained Glasgow Hawks in 2001 following earlier international honours at Scotland U21 level.

He has also played European rugby for Glasgow in the 1996 European Conference (now known as the Amlin Challenge Cup) against Montferrand (now Clermont-Auvergne) at Stade Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand.

This article was originally posted on 14-Oct-2009, 16:56 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 14-Oct-2009, 17:07.