Castleford Tigers have appointed a new Commercial Director with owner Martin Jepson speaking on the importance of the role as the club look to grow as a business in the “short, medium and long term”.
Recently, Castleford confirmed that long-serving Managing Director Mark Gratton would be stepping down and they have now announced that Commercial Director Laura Kirk has left her role after two and a half years.
Replacing Kirk will be the club’s former Commercial Director Craig Jeffels, who formerly held the role but returns under the ownership of Martin Jepson.
Jepson, who first invested in the club in late 2023 before buying the majority stake late last year has overseen plenty of change during his time with the club and this represents yet more.
In a club statement, speaking on the appointment of Jeffels, he said: “Commercial revenue is such an important ingredient in our revenue streams and it is vital that we have the right team on board to grow the business in the short, medium and long term. We welcome Craig, and I look forward to seeing the commercial department flourish under his leadership “.
Castleford Tigers reappoint senior figure amidst more change at the Jungle
The club’s statement also saw Jeffels comment on his reappointment as he spoke on the “exciting times ahead for all at the Tigers”.
He said: “I am delighted to have rejoined the club as Commercial Director. As a lifelong fan with a passion for rugby league, the challenge of taking us to the next level commercially really excites me.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club previously, and since then a lot has changed for the good. When the opportunity was presented to me, I wanted to be part of this journey and the exciting times ahead for all at the Tigers”
Jepson also paid tribute to the departing Laura Kirk, for whom he thanked for her work whilst with Castleford Tigers, whilst Kirk also spoke on her exit and revealed that she will be back at The Jungle as a fun.
She said: “I have loved my time working at and representing my home club over the last 2.5 years and would like to extend a huge thank you personally to all of our dedicated sponsors, loyal fans and supporters, who over this time have showed unwavering support and made the job of running the commercial department an enjoyable experience, especially through the tougher times. I’d also like to say a thank you to all the staff and players at the club for making me feel welcome, for their support over the years and friendships too.
“It’s been a very hard decision to leave, as Castleford Tigers is at my heart but after a few health issues and personal reasons I have decided to step back, look after my health and put myself in a position where I can spend more time with my young family in the immediate future.
“I will always be cheering the team on from the stands and championing the club in my future ventures and look forward to being back at The Jungle each week as a fan.”
