Julia Chapman, the newly appointed chief executive of Northampton Saints, has made it clear that her leadership will not involve any “drastic changes of direction” when she steps into her role later this year. Chapman is set to succeed Mark Darbon, who is moving on to become the CEO of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, organizers of the prestigious Open Championship.
Coming off the back of their first Premiership title in a decade, the Saints are riding a wave of success as they prepare to kick off the new season against Bath on 20 September. Speaking to BBC Radio Northampton, Chapman emphasized that while the club has had an extraordinary season, there’s always room for improvement.
“We had an amazing season last year but I don’t think anyone is saying that everything was perfect all the time,” she remarked.
Chapman, who currently serves as the club’s Chief Operating Officer, already has a strong working relationship with Director of Rugby Phil Dowson and his team. Her experience managing the salary cap and playing budget has equipped her with a deep understanding of the club’s operations, which she plans to continue leveraging in her new role.
“It’s a fantastic time to be taking over in many ways because it’s a very different set of challenges—how do you take all the great things the club has achieved and find a way of continuing that,” Chapman explained. “It’s not about a turnaround or fixing problems necessarily, but about building on our strengths and looking for opportunities to get even better.”
Chapman also lauded the outgoing CEO Mark Darbon for his transparent, open, and collaborative leadership style. She aims to maintain the club’s reputation as a “friendly, open, welcoming, and honest” organization, and is focused on assembling a strong team to support her in her new role.
As she prepares to take the reins, Chapman’s first task will be to assess the club’s priorities for the upcoming season while considering long-term strategies. She expressed enthusiasm for engaging with the Saints’ loyal fan base, understanding what keeps them coming back, and exploring ways to attract new supporters.
“We have a really good strategy in place, so this isn’t about U-turning or making drastic changes. It’s about understanding where we are, how we need to adapt, and hopefully bringing some new ideas to the table as well,” Chapman added.
Looking forward, she is excited to deepen her connection with the club’s supporters and to find new ways to share the joy of rugby with the next generation.
