Rangers are expected to confirm the appointment of Malcolm Offord as chairman as the Ibrox board continue their search for the next chief executive officer.

John Bennett stepped down from the head of the hierarchy in September after a season at the helm. Health reasons were cited for Bennett’s departure as he was thanked for ‘his service and significant commitment over the last nine years.’

Now the Rangers Review understands that Offord is poised to become the next man to lead the board as interim chairman John Gilligan prepares to begin the handover of power ahead of the Annual General Meeting on December 5. The Greenock businessman carries the title Lord Offord of Garvel in the House of Lords and is a former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department of Business and Trade.

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Gilligan returned to Ibrox in the aftermath of Bennett’s departure and was tasked with bringing stability to the corridors of power alongside investor George Letham and the remaining members of the RIFC plc board. Gilligan confirmed to the Fan Advisory Board last month that the appointment of a chairman – the fourth permanent office holder since regime change in March 2015 – would come before James Bisgrove’s successor as chief executive officer was finalised. Gilligan previously outlined that he hoped to have the CEO named before Christmas.

The structure of the board and executive team will be at the forefront of minds when shareholders and supporters gather for the AGM next month. Creag Robertson's departure was confirmed to Companies House on November 8, while Rangers are also operating with an interim head of academy after David McCallum was asked to fill the void left by the exit of Zeb Jacobs. Accounts for RIFC plc that were posted last month showed a loss of £17.2million for the financial year.

Former chairman Dave King told the Rangers Review that he would be open to a return to the club on a two-year basis. Those plans were quickly knocked back by Gilligan, however, as he dismissed calls for an EGM to be held at Ibrox.

“Dave is a major shareholder and he can say whatever he wishes to say,” Gilligan said during his first press conference as interim chairman. “My view is it’s a bit unrealistic. Dave is a real businessman, he knows how shareholdings work. He is a 15 per cent shareholder, the other directors are 10, 12, 13 per cent shareholders. It is unrealistic.

“It’s only destabilising if the people who are the main shareholders and operating the business don’t have a plan and don’t have people in place to execute it. We have had difficulties recently with the stadium and things but destabilising, no not particularly. Dave is entitled to say what he wants. It’s a free world. But I don’t feel it’s destabilised at all no.”