Sunderland appoint Scottish Rugby data specialist James Mullins as Head of Business Insights | OneFootball

Sunderland have hired James Mullins as Head of Business Insights, a key off-field appointment in a strategic role.

According to Sunderland Echo, Mullins joins from Scottish Rugby after more than five years, most recently as Head of Digital and Data.

He previously served as Head of Data and Insights and as Data Science Manager, building a strong reputation in performance analytics, reporting and strategic decision-making within elite sport.

Mullins has also held academic posts, including associate lecturer at Northumbria University and lecturer in sports performance analysis at the University of Gloucestershire. Earlier in his career he worked as a performance analyst with Performance Advantage, providing consultancy across elite sport, including work with Durham CCC.

Confirming the move in a LinkedIn post, Mullins said he was delighted to join Sunderland and called it a privilege to be part of a club with history, ambition and an incredible fanbase. He said he looks forward to working with David Bruce, Brandon Furse, Scott McCubbin and the wider team to build on the club’s momentum, adding that the potential is huge and he is eager to see what they can achieve together.

The appointment underlines Sunderland’s growing focus on data-led decision-making across football and commercial operations, with continued investment in infrastructure and people to support long-term growth.

Source: Sunderland Echo