Phil Anderton

{{short description|Scottish business and marketing executive}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

Phil Anderton (born 1965 or 1966) is a Scottish business and marketing executive.

He was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish Rugby Union in February 2004, after several years of successful marketing within the SRU.{{cite news |url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=216622004 |title=Anderton demands change |work=The Scotsman |publisher=Johnston Publishing |date=24 February 2004 |accessdate=21 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427180010/http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=216622004 |archivedate=27 April 2006 }} He was nicknamed "Firework Phil", because he provided lavish firework displays and entertainment before rugby games at Murrayfield Stadium. These were criticised by Sir Clive Woodward as "more like a pop concert than a rugby match" after the Calcutta Cup game in Edinburgh in 2004, but Anderton was unrepentant on both counts. Anderton resigned as CEO in January 2005 after David Mackay (Chairman of the SRU) was forced to resign by the SRU General Committee.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/2353702/Anderton-adds-to-SRU-turmoil.html |title=Anderton adds to SRU turmoil |first=Alasdair |last=Reid |work=Daily Telegraph |publisher=Telegraph Media Group |date=13 January 2005 |accessdate=21 April 2013}}

From March 2005 to October 2005, he served as the Chief Executive of the Scottish Premier League football club Hearts. Anderton's dismissal as chief executive by majority owner Vladimir Romanov prompted Hearts chairman, George Foulkes, to resign in protest.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/4394338.stm |title=Hearts in turmoil as duo depart |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=31 October 2005 |accessdate=21 April 2013}} After leaving Hearts, Anderton was appointed chairman of the ATP World Tour Finals, the largest indoor tennis tournament in the world. Anderton then served as chief executive of the Al-Jazira Club in Abu Dhabi, but resigned for personal reasons.{{cite news |url=http://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/phil-andertons-departure-no-surprise-to-al-jazira |first=Kevin |last=Affleck |title=Phil Anderton's departure 'no surprise' to Al Jazira |work=The National |publisher=Abu Dhabi Media |date=2 November 2011 |accessdate=21 April 2013}} In February 2013, he was appointed to the board of the political campaign group Better Together.{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/latest-news/ex-hearts-chief-phil-anderton-joins-pro-uk-group-1-2790879 |title=Ex-Hearts chief Phil Anderton joins pro-UK group |work=Edinburgh Evening News |publisher=Johnston Publishing |date=15 February 2013 |accessdate=21 April 2013}}{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/referendum-news/phil-anderton-joins-better-together-team.2013029646 |title=Phil Anderton joins Better Together team |work=The Herald |publisher=Herald & Times Group |date=13 February 2013 |accessdate=21 April 2013}}

Anderton holds a degree in Management and International Relations from the University of St Andrews.{{cite web |url=http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/expect-some-fireworks-when-phil-gives-speech-1-980234 |title=Expect some fireworks when Phil gives speech |publisher=Edinburgh Evening News |date=8 February 2006}}