Belinda Moore has resigned from her role as chief executive officer of Premiership Women’s Rugby in a shock development less than a week into the new season.

Moore took up the position in January last year after being identified by the Rugby Football Union as “the perfect candidate” for the role.

She was given a remit to oversee a 10-year plan to professionalise the women’s top flight and put the league on a path towards sustainability, but her sudden departure was confirmed in a five-sentence press release issued by the PWR board on Tuesday afternoon.

No reason was given for her resignation, which comes just days into the new season and less than a year out from a women’s World Cup which England will host.

Moore, who re-launched the women’s top flight during her tenure and secured a first ever broadcast deal with TNT Sports and is the wife of Telegraph rugby columnist Brian, had previously spoken of her ambition to capitalise on “the Lionesses effect” and for women’s rugby to broaden its commercial reach.

In an interview with Telegraph Sport last year, she said she was “pleasantly surprised” by the number of brands who were looking to align themselves with women’s rugby in the build up to next year’s World Cup.

News of Moore’s departure comes days after the league launched its new “Powered Differently” campaign for the 2024-25 season, which celebrated the dual career athletes in the women’s top flight.

While a process for her successor is yet to get underway, it is understood Genevieve Shore, the former England international who won the World Cup in 1994, will assume more responsibility in her current role as PWR chair.

A PWR spokesperson said: “Belinda Moore has made the decision to move on from Premier Women’s Rugby Ltd (PWR) to focus on other opportunities and will be stepping down this month.

“From our brand to the Powered Differently campaign and the broadcast deal with TNT Sports she has achieved a huge amount during her time with PWR. We are very grateful to Belinda for all her hard work and wish her all the best in the future.

“PWR has a fantastic team that will continue to drive the business forward and will be supported by the Board through the leadership transition.

“Our focus is now on the new season, supporting our clubs and athletes through an exciting new period of growth for PWR, and onto the Women’s Rugby World Cup being held in England in 2025.”