New Zealand Rugby (NZR) chief executive Mark Robinson has resigned and will step down from his role at the end of 2025.
He had been chief executive since 2020 when he replaced Steve Tew, who had held the job since 2008.
NZR board chairperson David Kirk acknowledged Robinson's "great service to NZR and the sport".
"He has led with a passion for rugby, and we thank him for his commitment over the past six years.
"Mark has driven significant change, both in New Zealand and internationally, and the Board believes the organisation is well-placed to capitalise on this. Of note was his leadership through a global pandemic that saw the game deal with an unprecedented crisis."
Kirk also said Robinson wanted to move to Australia to be with his family.
"Mark will continue to lead for the remainder of the year as we conclude key projects, and the Board will now commence recruitment for the new role."
Robinson said it had been a privilege to serve as chief executive.
"The past six years have been a period of rapid change, or unprecedented challenges through the pandemic, and significant evolution across commercial, competitions and structures. I will reflect on that as I get closer to stepping away, but I firmly believe the foundations of our organisation are extremely strong and the game is well-placed for the future.
"Our vision is to inspire and unify through rugby and that opportunity has been an easy motivator for me every single day, from the community game right through to the international level,” he said.
“I have had the privilege of leading an amazing group of people at NZR who have a huge amount of care for the game. There’s a deep hunger to get better every day no matter how well we think we are doing and that drive sits right across every person working for NZR, our competitions and our national teams."
He said the rest of his family had been in Australia for the last few months.
"My wife is already there supporting them and, ultimately, I will be joining them early next year."
Robinson had seen the national sport through some turbulent times under his watch.
NZR had posted losses in the last three years, and last month, it announced a $19.5m loss for 2024 despite a record-breaking $285 million in revenue.
He championed the Silver Lake deal which brought in an American venture capital fund with a $200 million investment in the game.
The terms of the deal were renegotiated after pushback from the NZ Rugby Players Association.
Major sponsor Ineos allegedly reneged on its contract halfway through its six-year deal, understood to be worth around $8 million a year.
A settlement was reached between the two parties after NZR said it intended to take legal action.
Robinson acknowledged some "challenging times" during his tenure that had brought "significant scrutiny".
"That reflects the immense passion that so many Kiwis feel for our sport and the special place rugby has in our country. The fact people can come up to me, share their views and talk with incredible knowledge and depth of feeling is something we never want to take for granted.
"My focus now is on supporting the Board and leading the organisation through a pivotal year, including ensuring the Black Ferns have the support they need to defend the Rugby World Cup in England. We also remain focused on implementing a new financial model for the game in New Zealand and completing the remaining work on what will be an exciting future international calendar."
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