Tony Philp confirmed as Hurricanes CEO

The Hurricanes are proud to announce that interim chief executive Tony Philp has been confirmed as the club’s permanent CEO.

Hurricanes chair Malcolm Gillies is thrilled to secure Philp on a long-term basis after appointing him as interim chief executive in December.

“As a board, we are delighted that Tony has accepted the position as CEO,” Gillies said.

“We believe he has the passion, drive, and enthusiasm to lead the Hurricanes into the future. Tony has the unanimous support of the Hurricanes management and board, and we would like to congratulate him on his appointment.”

Philp held the Hurricanes GM Rugby position since 2021 before moving into the interim chief executive role.

During that period, he was instrumental in developing the vision and values for the club, recruiting and retaining our high-performance staff and players, and helping drive the establishment of the Hurricanes Poua in Super Rugby Aupiki.

Prior to his involvement with the Hurricanes, Philp built an impressive resume both within New Zealand and abroad, including a highly successful stint as the New Zealand Rugby High Performance Sevens Manager between 2007 and 2021.

Philp led the All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens programmes that delivered multiple Olympic and Commonwealth Games medals, as well as numerous Sevens World Cup and World Sevens Series titles.

He has also held management positions with World Rugby and the Waikato Rugby Union, and enjoyed a playing career that saw him represent the Chiefs, Waikato, Manawatū, Whanganui, and New Zealand Colts.

A highly-regarded figure within the New Zealand rugby community, Philp is eager to continue as Hurricane CEO.

“I am incredibly proud to help guide our club into its next exciting chapter,” Philp said.

“It is a privilege to work alongside an exceptional board, staff, and players who share a winning mindset to strengthen our legacy and are deeply committed to making a meaningful impact in our community.”