League: The Scotsman on a rescue mission

Jim Doyle is excited about running the NZRL. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Scottish-born Jim Doyle has been entrusted with the lofty task of rebuilding New Zealand Rugby League and keeping the Kiwi side on top of the world.

Doyle is visibly excited about running the sport and rebuilding an administration which was slammed by Sparc in a review in March.

"I've been in New Zealand for 15 years and in that time, even from a spectator point of view, I've seen and heard a lot of the problems that NZRL has gone through," he said.

His appointment as chief executive was announced yesterday by NZRL chairman Scott Carter.

Carter said Doyle, 47, had the right credentials to rebuild the sport.

"He's a strong and highly capable leader who is not afraid of making hard decisions. Jim has real strength of character and we consider he will cope extremely well with the challenges inherent in the NZRL chief executive's role," said Carter.

Under Doyle's leadership, marine technology company Navman grew from a 30-person, $3 million company to a 700-strong, $450 million operator.

He believes his diverse background puts him in a good position to negotiate at all levels of league administration.

While Doyle's Scottish roots mean his first passion is soccer - he once flew from Auckland to Barcelona to watch Celtic play - he has followed league from the sidelines since his arrival in New Zealand in 1994.

A season ticket-holder for the New Zealand Warriors side from their first season, he has quietly harboured a desire to give back to New Zealand sport. And league needs a lot of help following the damning Sparc report that highlighted administrative failings at the NZRL.

"Sparc was damning," said Doyle. "But at the same time there were a lot of recommendations of things that will create some sustainability in the sport. We have to make sure the administration is making more talented players come through so the Kiwis can stay top of the world."

In a personal and commercial sense, Doyle has a good track record in reinvention. Discontented as an electrician in "cold and miserable" Edinburgh, he moved to South Africa, where he married and acquired the skills and charisma which led him to leadership positions in several technology companies.

A New Zealand citizen since settling here with his wife and two children after 12 years in South Africa, he will start his new job in August.