Sunderland appoint Scottish Rugby data specialist James Mullins to lead business insights | OneFootball

Sunderland have appointed James Mullins as Head of Business Insights, recruiting the senior data specialist from Scottish Rugby. The move strengthens the club’s off-field operation in a key strategic area.

In a LinkedIn post, Mullins said he was delighted to join Sunderland, highlighted the club’s history, ambition and fanbase, and looked forward to working with David Bruce, Brandon Furse and Scott McCubbin. He spoke of building on existing momentum and the team’s potential.

Mullins arrives after more than five years with Scottish Rugby, most recently as Head of Digital and Data. He previously served as Head of Data and Insights, having earlier worked as Data Science Manager.

His background includes academia, as an associate lecturer at Northumbria University and a lecturer in sports performance analysis at the University of Gloucestershire.

Earlier in his career he was a performance analyst at Performance Advantage, delivering analytics consultancy across elite sport, including work with Durham CCC and Scottish Rugby Union.

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

Source: Sunderland Echo