THE new chief executive of the Three Counties Agricultural Society is Ken Nottage, managing director of Gloucester Rugby, who will take over from Nick Vincent who is retiring in November after eight years at the helm.

Mr Nottage has worked for Gloucester Rugby for 13 seasons following a spell as chief executive of Newcastle United’s Sporting Club, with responsibility for its football, rugby, ice hockey and basketball clubs.

Under his leadership, Gloucester’s Kingsholm stadium has been completely remodelled and now has an effective commercial structure in place.

At TCAS, he will lead a permanent staff of 31 and assumes responsibility for the interests of all TCAS stakeholders.

He will manage the society’s charitable objectives and develop the society’s shows and its venue hire business which includes the new Three Counties Centre.

Michael Warner, chairman of the society’s board of trustees, said: “Ken has extensive experience in the leisure sector and has transformed Kingsholm which is now thriving.

“His role here will be to broaden the base of the society’s income, to enable us to expand our charitable activities, and I am confident that he will bring a new dimension to the business.”

Mr Nottage said: “I am looking forward to doing something different and to have the opportunity to work for another great organisation, the Three Counties Agricultural Society, which has a huge regional and national profile and a history going back more than 200 years.”