Scottish Rugby sack chief executive Alex Williamson after probe into inappropriate conduct

It was revealed in May that Williamson, 52, had been placed on a “period of extended leave” pending the results of the investigation.

Scottish Rugby, the game’s governing body, has now announced that the CEO’s conduct had “fallen significantly below the standards we set as an organisation”.

The Scotsman understands that Williamson is said to have entered into an inappropriate relationship.

In a statement issued on Thursday, John McGuigan, chair of Scottish Rugby Limited, said: “The board of Scottish Rugby has today dismissed Alex Williamson from his position as chief executive with immediate effect.

“His dismissal follows the conclusion of an independent investigation into matters that were brought to the board’s attention earlier this year.

“In light of the investigation findings, the board of Scottish Rugby concluded that the CEO’s conduct had fallen significantly below the standards we set as an organisation.”

The independent investigation into Williamson’s behaviour was led by a senior lawyer and its finding convinced members of the board at Murrayfield that the chief executive’s position was untenable.

Williamson joined Scottish Rugby from Inspiring Learning, a business that provided training and development for children and young adults globally. He previously ran the Goodwood Estate and is a former CEO of House of Fraser. He was appointed by Scottish Rugby in September 2024 and took office in January the following year.

Although his reign has been short - around 18 months - it has not been without significance. During his tenure Williamson awarded a new contract to Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, extending his tenure until after the 2027 Rugby World Cup. He also gave new deals to Franco Smith and Sean Everitt, the head coaches of Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh, respectively.

One of Williamson’s chief tasks was to reverse the losses racked up by the governing body under the stewardship of his predecessor, Mark Dodson. Williamson was determined to drive up revenue, stating his intention was to push it past the £100 million mark.

He reduced losses significantly and Scottish Rugby appears to be on track to be back in the black next year. The last annual report, published in November 2025, shows a loss of £3.68m for the year up to June 30, 2025, with record revenues of £79.4m.

The loss for the previous year was £11.27m, although the 2023-24 figures cover a 13-month period due to the accounting period being readjusted. The loss for the year up to June 2023 was £10.5m.

In the time between Dodson’s departure and Williamson’s arrival McGuigan took over many of the chief executive’s duties, helping stabilise the union during a period of uncertainty. This time around, Scottish Rugby’s chief financial officer David White is stepping up into the CEO role immediately on an interim basis and the search for a permanent appointment will begin imminently.