Barker appointed new Queensland CEO

Barker is well known to the Queensland Rugby community. He and his family have had a long and successful involvement in the game from schoolboys through to Queensland Reds and Wallabies. 

He is a former captain of the Queensland Country Rugby Union team andhas played against Fiji, Canada, and the touring All Blacks in the mid-1980s. As a schoolboy, Barker played Rugby at St. Joseph's Nudgee College, representing the school First XV for two years. Throughout the 1980s he played Premier Grade in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition for Teachers-Norths, as well as for the Pioneers Rugby club in Rockhampton. More recently, he has been a junior rugby coach at grassroots level.

"I am very proud and honoured to have been offered the role of Queensland Rugby Union CEO. I am excited to be joining QRU and intend to make a difference. I am aware of the important responsibilities that come with this role in representing all key stakeholders. There’s work to be done and I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves to help to make rugby a game for all," he said.

QRU Chairman Damien Frawley said: "Richard has run one of Queensland’s highest profile media companies for the past 30 years and we believe he has the experience, skills and knowledge of all levels of the game to successfully lead the organisation in what is one of the toughest sporting markets in the world. I look forward to working with Richard over the coming years as we continue to grow interest and participation in Rugby at the grassroots level and build a platform for the sustained success of our elite teams."

Barker will begin the CEO role at a date still to be announced.