Rangers chairman John Gilligan has outlined the non-negotiables for the new chief executive as he insisted the club are "moving quickly" towards an appointment. 

The Ibrox club have operated without a CEO - with John Bennett covering in the role - since James Bisgrove left for a position in Saudi Arabia.

Now, with Bennett having stepped down from his post as chairman and assisting in chief executive duties, Gilligan is focused on appointing a CEO in the near future.

The interim chairman - who stated he will remain in post as long as necessary - has made bringing in a new chief executive his "main priority".

Quizzed on the essential qualities in a chief executive at Rangers, Gilligan said: "They need to have strong business acumen, experience, they need to have ran businesses where there’s pressure and need to deliver, it can’t be a comfortable business because the stress and pressure of being CEO of a football club is pretty big.

"They need to be a good communicator and getting to people. And they need a tremendous work ethic because it goes without saying it’s unbelievably difficult. They need to be a good person. I like decent people."

Pushed on a timescale, Gilligan said: "We are well on. We have quite a number of people around it who we can pick up with again. We are moving quickly on it."

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On whether a candidate from outside of football would be considered for the role, Gilligan said: "It would need to be someone exceptional.

"When you are recruiting you are looking at four or five must haves. That’s not really a must have. But it’s pretty close.

"If someone exceptional appeared…. If he didn’t have an interest or understanding of football then it would be a bit like me asking to be chief exec of a technology company. It’s difficult. Without the knowledge of the product and business it would be difficult."

Gilligan also revealed the desire for a new CEO to be a driving force at the club with power to make key decisions - supported by the chairman and board.

"Recruitment in any walk of life is of the moment. The person needs to be multi-faceted and good at everything. 

"He needs to be an assertive character and we are looking much more to provide for the CEO via the chairman. And also for the CEO to have a lot of power day to day and the chairman to be slightly behind that."