Rank Group CEO John O’Reilly to Retire in January 2026
Rank Group is set for a top-level leadership change later this month, as John O’Reilly prepares to retire from his role as CEO on 29 January 2026.
O’Reilly will remain involved until the close of the 2025/26 financial year, after which current Chief Financial Officer Richard Harris will step in as interim CEO while a permanent replacement is sought.
Reflecting on his tenure, O’Reilly said: “Leading Rank over the past seven and a half years has been an honour. I am proud of what we have achieved and confident that Richard will steer the Group successfully into the next stage.”
O’Reilly, appointed in April 2018, guided the operator through key challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and the UK government’s gambling review. His departure comes as Rank evaluates its UK digital operations in response to recent increases in remote gaming duties, considering profitability, investment strategies and competitive positioning.
The change in leadership follows John H Ott’s appointment as Chair in November, succeeding interim Chair Karen Whitworth. Ott commended O’Reilly for his extensive experience and operational expertise, noting that the outgoing CEO left Rank well positioned for the future.
Richard Harris, who has served as CFO and board member since May 2022, will take on interim CEO duties, with Ott expressing confidence in his ability to maintain stability and provide strategic oversight to enhance performance and shareholder value.
This transition occurs amid challenges in Rank’s Spanish portfolio, where Enracha and Yo suffered approximately €7.1m in losses due to payment fraud last month. The incident is being investigated internally and by relevant authorities and the company has confirmed it will be disclosed separately in its forthcoming financial results.
