The 64-year-old Englishman, announced as Bernard Lapasset’s successor at a Council meeting of World Rugby in Dublin, has identified the establishment of a global calendar that better integrates both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres as one of his main priorities.

Beaumont claims a compromise needs to be reached between the two parties and has proposed moving the Six Nations to April.

Six Nations chief executive John Feehan, however, had previously branded the tournament’s February to March slot "non-negotiable".

Beaumont assumes chairmanship with little over a month to go until Rio 2016, where rugby will be making its return to the Olympics for the first time in 92 years with men’s and women’s sevens tournaments.

Rugby sevens was added to the Games by the International Olympic Committee at its Session in Copenhagen in 2009, along with golf.

"Quite simply, Rio 2016 will be a game-changer for rugby worldwide," Beaumont, a former England captain, told insidethegames.

"We’re hugely excited and honoured to be back on the Olympic stage.

"It’s not just about our sport being present on sport’s greatest stage, it is about reaching, inspiring and engaging new players and fans worldwide through an unprecedented broadcast and social engagement platform."

The search for Beaumont’s successor as Rugby Football Union (RFU) chairman is ongoing with the English games' governing body confirming last week that the position is to be salaried for the first time.

A sum of £80,000 ($108,000/€97,000) has been designated for the post, when previously the chairman only received expenses for a commitment to overseeing the RFU’s Executive Committee.

Beaumont will remain in the post until October, when a successor is due to be appointed at a meeting of the RFU Council.

Argentina’s Agustín Pichot will serve as Beaumont’s understudy at World Rugby having been unanimously elected vice-chairman in Dublin.

The Rugby Americas President, who succeeds Oregan Hoskins, is a former captain of Argentina's 15s and sevens teams and a bronze medallist at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

He has helped towards the establishment of the Americas Rugby Championship and the introduction of an Argentinian team in Super Rugby, the pre-eminent professional men's rugby union football competition in the southern hemisphere and Japan.

Beaumont was defeated by Lapasset 14-12 in the last election, held in Los Angeles in December 2011.

He then lost his position as vice-chairman to Hoskins when, following two ballots which ended 13-13, Lapasset cast his deciding vote for the South African.

The outgoing Lapasset is standing down to focus on his role as co-chairman of the Paris bid to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.