The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has announced the appointment of Craig Preston as its head of people development, following recent announcements of a new chief operating officer and two other significant rugby leadership roles.

The appointments, all chosen through a rigorous selection process, are part of a new leadership team at the RFU that will take the organisation through to the Rugby World Cup (RWC) in 2015 and beyond.

Preston will join the RFU from insurance broker Aon, where he has been area director responsible for the growth and development of its corporate retail business in the south of England. In his four years at Aon, he was also previously chief commercial officer for its global crisis management business and also its head of crisis consulting.