The first effects of Nathan Tinkler's era at Newcastle NRL club are already being felt with the resignation on Wednesday of chief executive Steve Burraston.

Burraston and the new regime reached an "agreement" for him to immediately quit the post he has held for nearly four years and allow the Tinkler Sports Group (TSG) to begin their ownership with a clean slate.

There had been tension between Burraston and Tinkler's camp which surfaced throughout what was a volatile takeover process.

Comments made by the chief executive in the media regarding the initial offers reportedly angered TSG.

Chief executive of TSG Troy Palmer will be the Knights' interim CEO until the takeover transition is complete.

A joint board featuring Palmer, fellow TSG representatives Ken Edwards and Nick Dan, and Knights chairman Rob Tew will also operate as a "steering committee".

TSG refused to comment on Burraston's decision to step aside, but the company appears to have a clear idea of what they are after in a new boss.

"We're just focusing on what our new arrangements will be when they're complete," said TSG executive chairman Edwards.

"We've got that interim board in place to handle decision-making on the way through and it'll take about a month to finalise the transition."

Edwards confirmed the Knights' new boss will come from outside TSG and said they were likely to favour a candidate who has had involvement with Newcastle rugby league.

Setting the club up for immediate success will be the basis of the appointment.

"It'll probably be someone from the region. I guess every decision we make, obviously will be judged on the basis of is this going to help us win grand finals," Edwards told AAP.

"We want the best qualified person we can find and hopefully we can find them from the Newcastle, Hunter region.

"It'll also be nice or appropriate if they were a part of the Knights structure at some time in the past."

Knights Chairman Tew admitted TSG wanted to go in a different direction and played a role in Burraston's departure.

"He's done it under a negotiated agreement," Tew told AAP.

"I think so (it was necessary). The nature of the negotiations were pretty robust and, as unfortunate as that is, it's just how things pan out from time to time.

"I think it's understandable given where we've been through over the last five months and the outcome. That's disappointing from our perspective but I fully understand.

"He's done that unselfishly in order to create the opportunity for a fresh start."

The new role won't be a traditional CEO's position and will follow the same structure TSG has set up for their A-League club, the Newcastle Jets.

"It will be more a rugby league specific CEO rather than a business-wide CEO. So the replacement is someone who will be a rugby league focused person and won't have to be concerned with marketing or membership, or finance or administration," said Edwards.

Burraston, who had previously been on the club's coaching staff and the board, said his decision to leave would be in the best interests of the Knights.

"The club has been through a torrid time of late and with new ownership it needs to be given a fresh start," Burraston said in a statement.

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