Jamie Jones-Buchanan on becoming next Leeds Rhinos CEO, extraordinary legacy of Rob Burrow and how love has powered his successes

Rugby league demands physical and mental toughness, but Jones-Buchanan insists love was actually the key ingredient behind the Rhinos’ dominance, which saw their Golden Generation including the likes of Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow win eight Grand Finals between 2004 and 2017.

“That was personified through the way we behaved towards one another and that manifested itself into multiple trophies,” he reflects.

After growing up as a supporter and then playing more than 400 games for Leeds between 1999 and 2019, Jones-Buchanan has since worked as a coach, trustee of the Rhinos Foundation, and the club’s first director of culture, diversity and inclusion. Now, he’s opening a new chapter in his lifelong love affair with the Rhinos as he becomes chief executive from this autumn.

Jones-Buchanan is stepping into big shoes, replacing Gary Hetherington, who has been in the role since 1996 and transformed the club’s fortunes on and off the pitch.

A new structure will see current operations director Sue Ward become chief operating officer, and commercial director Rob Oates the managing director. Allie Hulme, daughter of chairman Paul Caddick, will be vice-chair with an “integral influence” on the club’s future.

Jones-Buchanan calls it a “true honour” to be named chief executive. “Whilst it is a very significant role with a great deal of responsibility, I think my experience and journey over the last 27 years with Gary’s tutelage put me in a position to be one of the candidates to take on the role.”

He likens being part of the Golden Generation to a fish unaware it is in water. “You don’t always know you’re in it until you are out of it. Kevin fostered an environment that demanded everyone looked after each other. He knew that when people were looked after they would thrive and there is the fulfilment of everyone’s potential.”

Jones-Buchanan is also a trustee of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation, established in 2005 with a mission to change lives through the power of sport.

“It was always part of Gary’s vision that if we were really going to reach out into communities and do impactful work, we would need a foundation. It started small with rugby development but now in 2025 we’ve got not just a men’s team but a women’s team, a wheelchair rugby league team and we’ve got a netball team.”

Looking down at the Headingley pitch, the self-confessed history buff says: “I always reflect back to the piazzas of medieval Florence where you might have artists coming and painting in public spaces and then a jester and then a scientist.

“You’d have all kinds of different eclectic groups of people with different skills and ways of seeing the world sharing their ideas and vision. With sport, you’ve got a community of people from all walks of life all coming together around this big rectangle. You see people’s abilities come to fruition.”

He adds: “I would say this is where many people, even world leaders, are getting it wrong. Diversity and inclusion is the opportunity to invite in that difference of view and lived experience so everyone can share their ideas and solutions to problems.

“When I went to collect my MBE I had to push my grandma through London and I was blown away by how difficult that was. Until you push someone with a wheelchair, you don’t understand the challenges they face.

“So if you are going to have a rugby league ground where you want everybody to enjoy sport, you’ve got to understand and listen to people who use mobility scooters or wheelchairs to know how we make the ground accessible. That is one of many examples around which people from different ethnicities and different faith backgrounds have a different way of navigating the planet.”

After retiring from playing, Jones-Buchanan initially tried coaching but realised it wasn’t for him. “What I came to understand is I love the people more than I love the game. The tactical side didn’t excite me. What I’ve always loved is watching people thrive together.”

He went on to co-found RAM Films, a production company creating everything from powerful sports documentaries to corporate marketing videos. Its recent programmes have included Kenny Logan’s World Cup Challenge in which the former rugby union player cycled 750 miles from Edinburgh to Paris in memory of his late teammate Doddie Weir who died from motor neurone disease in 2022, as well as Kevin Sinfield running seven ultramarathons in seven days in support of MND charities.

Jones-Buchanan says running a business has taught him a lot. “There’s some work you do to bring in money and you might not love it, then there’s other work where time slows down, you get in the zone and absolutely love it. Business has a multitude of both. In a business you have got wages to pay and a lot of responsibility.

“Just for example, you need to travel for filming but insurance and costs have gone through the roof. You want to take people on but you are scared of the risk.

“I’m learning because I’ve come from sport. Lots of people might ask what business acumen has Jamie Jones-Buchanan got? Fundamentally, if you can pick the right team and bring the right people into the right places contributing to a combined vision, you’ll be surprised what they can achieve.”

Leeds Rhinos is also where he found his deep Christian faith. He was taken to the City Evangelical Church in Beeston by teammate Ali Lauitiiti, who he says opened his eyes to Christianity.

He admits that it was initially “very tricky” to open up to people about his religious conversion. “You went from being a perceived tough rugby player to being like a Ned Flanders character. But what I came to understand is Christ is the bravest, courageous, altruistic human being that has walked the planet. Medals and silverware are finite. Only in Jesus and the Bible have I found eternal life.”

Jones-Buchanan says his faith was strengthened rather than shaken by witnessing his teammate Rob Burrow dealing with MND in recent years. Burrow died last year after raising more than £15m for charity as he battled the condition.

“What Rob did was raise a ridiculous amount of money and awareness for people. There’s emotion in me now at the anguish Rob had to go through in walking that journey. But I don’t think I will have ever met anybody that will have had a more fulfilling life than what Rob had. We are all going to die but when we look back at the impact we had in life and the legacy we left, Rob is the biggest winner I will ever know.”

The extraordinary bravery of Burrow undoubtedly puts sporting results into perspective but part of the challenge for the club’s new leadership team will be restoring Leeds Rhinos to dominance after recent trophyless seasons.

Like other rugby league teams, the club also faces financial challenges. The most recent accounts for the club’s parent company for the year to October 2023 recorded a £2.3m loss before tax, affected in part by a £200,000 reduction in central funding due to lower broadcasting revenues.

So what does success look like for Jones-Buchanan? He points to a “philosophy of becoming” where doing the right things consistently leads to success.

“There are three elements to Leeds Rhinos in my mind; sport where in the elite sense winning is king and success breeds success. Then there is sustainability because people’s livelihoods are at stake. Every business needs to be able to pay its wages and keep the lights on. Then there is the philanthropy element and changing lives through the power of sport and the influence of Leeds Rhinos on the city.

“Together, if well-connected and each constituent part fulfils their role there isn’t much limit to how far and how high we can travel.

“There are so many smart and experienced people at the Leeds Rhinos. My role as I see it is to make sure everyone has the opportunity to contribute, everyone is heard and we can connect in a way where we all feel valued. It is amazing what you can achieve when nobody cares about who gets the credit.”

He adds the Rhinos is “the foundation on which I have lived my life”. “I love the club and the city and I just want to give back. I started in the South Stand as a nine-year-old and had it not been for this city, the people within it and this club, I wouldn’t have been on the journey I’ve been on.”