LIV Golf is shaking things up in the corporate clubhouse by roping in two industry sharpshooters, John Ruzich and Denise Taylor.
Ruzich will be marshalling the legal front as the new Chief Legal Officer, while Taylor will be taking the reins as Head of Product & Technology.
These two aren’t new to the game either, having spent years in the major leagues of the sports and tech world, and now they’ll call New York their new home base, kicking off their roles this very month.
“Welcoming John and Denise to our leadership team is another big step for our League as we continually enhance our operations and scale our business,” said LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO Greg Norman.
“Their deep expertise, honed through leadership roles at premiere sports organisations, makes them invaluable additions.
I am confident that their strategic vision and commitment to excellence will not only strengthen our legal and technology departments but also propel us to new heights in 2025 and beyond.”
John Ruzich isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. Before joining the LIV crew, he was at the helm of all things legal at Legends, where he kept the ship steady through storms of business affairs, human resources, risk management, and other hefty matters.
Before Legends, he was slicing through legal jargon as Senior VP of Business & Legal Affairs at Classic Media, right before it got scooped up by DreamWorks Animation.
With stints at WWE and the New Jersey Devils earlier in his career, John’s no rookie to the high stakes of sports law.
Beaming with joy about his new gig, Ruzich shared, “I’m thrilled to join LIV Golf at such a pivotal time as the League continues to expand and enhance the sport across the globe,” said Ruzich.
“It’s been impressive to watch LIV Golf forge a new path within the professional game in such a short amount of time, and it’s clear that the League has ambitious and exciting plans as it builds for the long term.
I look forward to collaborating with LIV’s talented team and can’t wait to get started.”
On the flip side, Denise Taylor brings a tech wizard’s touch, with a CV that’s as loaded as a top golfer’s bag.
From executive stints transforming operations with tech at AEG and Legends to steering digital overhauls at Tottenham Hotspur FC, she’s been all about pushing boundaries.
Her tenure at Legends saw her spinning up a brand-new division that meshed new tech, digital data, and analytics into stadiums around the globe—a bit like adding a high-tech caddie to every game.
Taylor couldn’t contain her excitement either, saying, “LIV Golf is clearly committed to thinking outside the box by using technology and innovation to build a product that connects with new audiences, and I couldn’t be more excited to be part of that,” said Taylor.
“Through the League, its teams, players, and products, the opportunities across the organisation are endless. I’m eager to support the League’s continued growth across the globe.”
These powerhouse additions come hot on the heels of a lineup of all-star executive recruits over the past few months, proving LIV Golf is serious about stacking its bench.
After wrapping up its second blockbuster season with a bang—congrats again to Ripper GC and Jon Rahm—the league is now teeing up for a December showdown at Riyadh Golf Club.
This will be a chance for top talent from around the world to swing their way into the big leagues, setting the stage for an epic 2025 season that’ll jet across continents from Asia to the Middle East.
