Data#3's John Grant appointed NRL chief

Data#3 managing director John Grant has been appointed interim chief executive officer of the National Rugby League.

Current NRL chief Dave Smith announced his shock resignation yesterday. When he departs on 30 November, Grant – the chair of the Australian Rugby League Commission – will take over until a permanent replacement is found.

Grant himself is stepping down as managing director of Data#3 at the end of the year, as part of a succession plan revealed last November.

He told Fairfax Media that he has no intention to seek a permanent posting as NRL chief executive: "I have no desire to be CEO of this organisation... I want to put that on the record. That's not where I'm at personally. I have absolutely no desire to do it, although will fill the interim role."

Smith had been under pressure since signing a lucrative television deal with Nine Network in August without informing cable partner Fox Sports - a move that angered powerful media magnate Rupert Murdoch and triggered an anti-Smith campaign in News Corp publications.

"You have to have a leader who can lead that transformation. We needed [someone with] business skills," said Grant, according to Fairfax Media. "Dave had to make that call at three years. We would have liked him to stay longer but it's not convenient."

Grant has been the chairman of the ARLC since its inception in 2011. He played rugby league for Souths Brisbane and represented Australia as a winger in the 1972 World Cup.