Kenyon Calls Time As Chelsea Chief

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has announced that he will be leaving his current role at the Premier League club at the end of October saying he has ‘one major challenge’ left to accomplish.

While Kenyon did not specify what that challenge would be, he said he would take some time off before deciding on his next move.
Kenyon, who left Manchester United in 2003 to join Chelsea, will retain a post at the club as a non-executive director while also continuing to represent Chelsea in various capacities, including committee roles with European governing body UEFA.

Said Kenyon: “I am certain I have at least one major challenge left in me. I am extremely proud of my time at Chelsea and of the friendships I have forged with everyone here.

‘I have been in football for 15 years and I can say with great certainty and pleasure the experience at Chelsea is one of the best I have had.’

Kenyon left United after three years as chief executive at Old Trafford and had to go on gardening leave before taking up his role at Stamford Bridge at the start of 2004.

Under owner Roman Abramovich, Kenyon took charge of the business side of the club with the long-term aim of becoming one of the most profitable and best supported clubs in the world.

In 2008, Kenyon said the club retained their ‘ambitious’ target of operating profit break even by 2010 but in February this year Chelsea revealed that they made a £67.5m loss for the financial year to the end of June 2008.

Despite the appearance of the financials, Kenyon’s five and a half year stint at Chelsea saw the club bolster their commercial revenues significantly including lucrative sponsorship deals with Samsung and adidas and a expansion of their global fanbase, particularly in Asia.