RYA appoints new sport and corporate directors after departures

The Royal Yachting Association announced an executive reshuffle on 16 January 2026 that creates a new sport department and places two familiar figures into senior roles. Nick Scott, until now RYA director of racing, becomes director of sport and will lead a newly formed department combining sport development and racing. James Stuart, who most recently served as chief executive of RYA Wales and earlier held the director of legal, governance and integrity role, takes the newly created post of director of corporate affairs to oversee strategy, governance and regulatory matters.

The changes follow the recent departures of Rob Clark from sport development and Mel Hide from external affairs, leaving gaps in the senior team that the appointments aim to fill. By folding sport development and racing under one director, the RYA signals a move to centralize planning for athlete pathways, club support and regatta oversight, while a dedicated corporate affairs director will concentrate on organisational governance and compliance at a time of heightened regulatory focus across sport.

For clubs, race officers and regional development officers, the reshuffle has practical implications. Expect points of contact and reporting lines to change as the new sport department defines roles for regional delivery, coaching support and racing calendars. Clubs should check their RYA club portals and subscription emails for updated contact lists and guidance on event approvals. For volunteers and class associations, the consolidation could mean tighter alignment between training courses, talent development and race programme administration, and possibly faster decision making on cross-cutting issues such as coaching grants and race calendars.

On the governance side, placing James Stuart in charge of corporate affairs concentrates strategy, governance and regulatory responsibilities under one portfolio. That should help the RYA present joined-up responses to regulatory changes and internal policy reviews, and provide a clearer escalation path for integrity or compliance issues raised by members or clubs.

This leadership change is also a reminder of the value of local resilience. Clubs and regional teams may need to adapt while new structures and contacts settle in, so maintain clear records of recent correspondence and continue to run events and training under current permits and guidance until official updates arrive.

These appointments mark the start of a new chapter in the RYA’s executive leadership. Sailors, race organisers and club officials should watch for formal communications that clarify who to contact for sport development, racing queries and governance matters, and for any updates to regional support and event processes in the weeks ahead.