Bristol Bears CEO Mark Tainton is to step down at the end of the season

Bristol Bears CEO Mark Tainton will step down as CEO at the end of the season for personal reasons.

It follows a distinguished career and affiliation with the club which includes various roles from player to interim Head Coach to CEO spanning four decades.

Tainton remains the all-time record points scorer.

He said: “It’s always a hard decision to make a change, but I feel after so many years of service to the sport and club that I love, now is the right time to move on. 

“I’m looking forward to spending time with my wife Catherine and I’m excited about exploring different opportunities both inside and outside of the game."

He added: “As a proud Bristolian, Bears will always remain close to my heart, and I wish the club every success going forward.”

Tainton was appointed CEO in 2019. During his last five years at the helm Tainton has overseen the Bears' return to the Premiership, a commercial rebrand of the club, along with the construction and delivery of the multi-million-pound Bears high performance centre.

Bears Chairman Chris Booy said: "Mark has been a tremendous servant to the club. Aside from his excellent playing and coaching career he has steered the club through an incredible five years of growth and the last two years of a global pandemic which had a huge impact on the club and professional sport.

He added: “During that time Mark worked tirelessly to ensure our players and staff were safe and able to compete at the highest level. 

"Seeing Bears secure our first silverware in Europe in the European Challenge Cup in 2020 was one of the proudest moments of my life and I’m sure will be a memory that will stay with Mark forever too as a testament to his tireless efforts during the pandemic."