Who is interim Munster CEO Avan Lee?

The former Hurricanes CEO takes over the role from Ian Flanagan. 

Former Hurricanes CEO Avan Lee speaks to media during a press conference at the Wellington Rugby Football Union offices in 2020. Pic: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

News of Munster Rugby and the IRFU's appointment of Avan Lee as the province's interim chief executive officer was announced on Wednesday. 

Former CEO of Super Rugby outfit, the Hurricanes, Lee will join the province at the end of the month, once the outgoing Ian Flanagan vacates the role he has held since succeeding the late Garrett Fitzgerald in 2019.

So who is the new Munster CEO? 

Lee was born in Dargaville in the North Island of New Zealand, and grew up less than an hour away in Whangarei. 

The New Zealander studied management and marketing at Waikato University before departing his home country for Ireland and taking up a job in Dublin. He lined out for Clontarf rugby club during that time. 

Prior to his 10-year spell in charge of the Hurricanes, Lee held a series of commercial and operational positions across rugby.

He served as commercial manager with Northland Rugby Union from 2006 to 2007, worked in broadcasting and commercial operations at New Zealand Rugby between 2007 and 2012, and spent three years at World Rugby in Dublin. 

During his time with the global governing body, he progressed from commercial manager to general manager of the World Rugby Sevens programme.

Success arrived early during his time as Hurricanes chief, with the Wellington-based side winning their first Super Rugby title in 2016. They would go on to add a second title in 2026, a number of months after Lee's decision to step away.

Speaking to New Zealand publication, the  Business Desk, in 2021, Lee told of what he has learned during his time as a business leader in rugby: "One of the things I've learned as a CEO is about making good choices, in terms of what I think is the right thing to do versus what is normalised within rugby or sport. 

"If you've got a problem with something that's happening, you need to stand up for what you believe in. You can’t worry about going against the grain."