Kynisca appoints former Sunak deputy chief of staff Rupert Yorke

Kynisca, the women’s football multi-club organisation founded by Michele Kang, has appointed former Downing Street adviser Rupert Yorke as chief of staff to support its strategic priorities and continued global growth.Yorke, who previously served as deputy chief of staff to former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, will be based in London and work with Kang and Kynisca’s executive leadership team across the organisation and its clubs.“We are building Kynisca for the long term, and that requires more than ambition,” said Kang. “It requires the right people, clear priorities, and an organization that can execute consistently as we grow. Rupert understands how to operate at the center of a complex organization, keep people focused on what matters, and drive disciplined execution. I’m very pleased to have him join our team.”His responsibilities will include coordinating priorities across clubs and departments, helping key strategic initiatives progress and supporting Kang on internal and external engagements.Kynisca describes itself as the first global multi-club organisation dedicated to women’s football. Its portfolio includes London City Lionesses in England’s Women’s Super League, Washington Spirit in the United States and OL Lyonnes in France.Yorke joins from Forward Global, where he was senior managing director and partner, advising organisations on public affairs, policy and strategic communications.Before moving into the private sector, he spent more than seven years in senior UK Government roles. His experience included positions at HM Treasury, the Home Office and the Cabinet Office, alongside his work in Downing Street.Across those appointments, he worked on strategy, policy and communications in complex and fast-moving environments, experience he will now bring to Kynisca’s operations across multiple countries.“I am excited to join Kynisca at such an important moment for the organization and for women’s football,” Yorke stated. “Kynisca has a clear vision for the future of the game and the ambition to deliver on it.“What particularly attracted me was the opportunity to work with the visionary businesswoman and investor Michele Kang and a team that is building something with the potential to create lasting change in women’s football and global sports across multiple continents. I look forward to helping turn that ambition into action as Kynisca continues to thrive and grow.”The organisation said the appointment would help build the connected structure needed to support its clubs, employees and long-term ambitions.Kynisca’s stated approach combines long-term investment with the development of high-performance environments and sustainable club operations. Its wider objectives include increasing the visibility of women’s football, expanding commercial opportunities and providing athletes with resources, infrastructure and innovation to support their development.