NSW Rugby Union Rugby Union (NSWRU) will retain its two separate entities but changes to the organisation's operating structure will see the twin bodies share a chairman and chief executive from 2016, thus confirming the exit of current boss Greg Harris.

Reports emerged on Monday that Harris would not be extending his contract beyond this year and NSWRU on Tuesday revealed details of the management overhaul of both New South Wales Rugby Union Limited and New South Wales Waratahs Limited (WL) - the body that licences and operates the Waratahs in Super Rugby.

The two governing bodies will retain their individual boards but will now both be chaired by current NSW Waratahs chairman Roger Davis while the search for the shared chief executive role will begin shortly with a candidate to be chosen before the end of the year. Meanwhile, the current Trade Mark Licence agreement will be extended for a further five years, whereby NSWRU grant WL use of trademarks to run the professional team and participate in the Super Rugby competition.

The changes were rubber-stamped at a NSWRU board meeting last Friday following the completion of a Governance Review by Josephine Sukkar, and consultations with the Australian Rugby Union.

Davis said the outcome of the review was positive for the future of rugby in New South Wales.

"I am satisfied with the outcome of the Governance review and its pragmatism, and I thank Josephine Sukkar for all her efforts in this regard," Davis said. "Certainly the new adopted governance model ends a period of uncertainty associated with the licence extension for the Waratahs, and builds closer ties and pathways between the community and the professional games."