Everton chase Angus Kinnear for CEO role

I'm surprised it's taken TFG so long to sort out a CEO.

Thelwell's contract is up in the summer Paul, so it makes more sense to wait until then.

Thelwell is not a CEO. He's a DOF. Different roles.

I thought Colin Chong was acting CEO, so no need to rush to replace him.

The new CEO should have been ready to come in on the first day TFG took over.

Why Paul? What if the right candidate wasn't available?

If this is the guy they want. And he's got 20 years experience at the highest level, then it doesn't really matter if they have him day one or not.

David Weir rumoured to be joining. Again, someone with the CV to make them a great candidate.

This makes sense to me. A vastly experienced football man, not someone who ‘did a good job with the charity…' or ‘did a good job with the stadium…' (although I'm not for one minute belittling the contribution of Chong, who has done a great job in crazy circumstances..)

This is the kind of professional appointment we should expect.

Paul #1/#5, based on nothing more than sheer speculation I think it's very possible TFG did have a CEO squared up but lost her. Their former Roma CEO, Lina Souloukou, would have been the most obvious choice but, 3 days after TFG closed the Everton deal, Souloukou landed a better job at Forest from her old boss Marinakis (she's running his entire football group).

And again just speculating here, but US companies will typically not have a "second choice" lined up for CEO, but will instead re-start the search process from scratch. It took Friedkin 4 months to replace Souloukou at Roma.

That's my best guess as to why it has taken so long.

Paul #3 My apologies, I was thinking of Thelwell, DOF.

I prefer TFG taking time to seek out and ultimately appoint the CEO. IMO this is the most important position in the "company".

Okay, the manager or coach maybe can be considered as the most important but, there again, the CEO would have the ultimate decision on the employment of the coach.

Chairman – another role completely. I've been chairman of a few companies and some CEOs can be up their own arseholes, totally psychopathic and not listen to anybody else on the board.

So, please, let's be sure to bring in the CEO most suited to Everton's success.

Good CEOs have walked away from Everton in order to preserve their reputation whilst working under dysfunctional chairmen and directors. In recent years, 'governance' has been a joke and the Club have paid a heavy price for the fact - with only one person walking away with 'the spoils' !

TFG do well to take their time to make the right decision over this and other appointments.

The position of CEO is the most influential member of a well run board of Chairman, and directors who usually answer to him. Yes we need a strong knowledgeable CEO, but unless I have missed something we do not have a full board of directors yet, including a Chairman

Personally, I would be disappointed with the appointment. Let’s face it, it’s a club in the championship, why would we get a CEO from a club in the championship? Secondly, we are now the proud owners of one the best 5 stadiums in the FAPL. We are running a multi-purpose events arena, does Elland Road, qualify as that? I am surprised that the US owners did not demand that the search was broadened. How hard is it to list out the CEO’s of the clubs within 150 miles? Angus is not the kind of statement CEO needed for an FAPL club with huge aspirations. We should be more ambitious.

From the Leeds Utd page on the bbc. He is not filling me with enthusiasm!

'Kinnear would leave a confusing legacy at Leeds'

Adonis Storr

Fan writer

As But Kinnear's departure will mark the completion of 49ers Enterprises restructure, as they leave one of the last links to Radrizzani's ownership behind Angus Kinnear seems like he will be joining Everton at the end of this season.

Kinnear has had a turbulent time at United, and it has always been unclear precisely what decisions he was responsible for.

Other leaders within the club have been assigned the responsibility for many of the major decisions during his tenure.

Leeds peaked at ninth in the Premier League under Kinnear, but it was Marcelo Bielsa who was credited with that rise. And rightly so, Bielsa transformed the mid-table Championship squad he inherited.

And ultimately Victor Orta was credited with the hiring of the Argentinian.

Orta – a larger than life figure – was praised and criticised in equal measure during his time at Leeds. He brought Bielsa to the club, but for every Raphinha-type signing there was a Diego Llorente-type; and of course Jesse Marsch who failed spectacularly, was also Orta's man.

Andrea Radrizzani's imprint on certain decisions could be more easily inferred. Six weeks after Leeds went on a much-criticised, post-season tour of Myanmar, Radrizzani's Eleven Sports signed a global rights deal to broadcast the Myanmar National League.

Perhaps the clearest indication of Kinnear's input were his programme notes and his annual interview with the Square Ball podcast.

The now abandoned programme notes made national news in December 2021 when he branded calls for an independent football regulator as "Maoist".

Some CEOs become synonymous with their brands. Kinnear's strategy of shirking the spotlight seems deliberate, perhaps to avoid the kind of scrutiny that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is currently experiencing.

Perhaps only in Angus' absence will Leeds fans get an appreciation of the impact he had. Clearly Everton see the value of him.

But Kinnear's departure will mark the completion of 49ers Enterprises restructure, as they leave one of the last links to Radrizzani's ownership behind

For those on LinkedIn -
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adonis-storr-12307b294_leeds-news-opinion-fan-has-their-say-on-activity-7255474463922704385-bby4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAADzmAXMB8n-kYUARY2-y3Sv6XJI2sFMqeyI

And in summary below -
My article for BBC Sport this week focused on #CommunicationStyle

For several years Leeds United CEO Angus Kinnear has refused requests for interviews from journalists. He has instead chose to meet fans in behind closed doors events, and give a single interview per year to a fan podcast.

In my article I talk about the need for #Journalists to be able to hold the custodians of culturally significant institutions to account in their role as advocates for the people. It is in the public interest for significant leaders to be scrutinised, Leeds CEO has made that impossible.

I also commented on the communication style of Chairman Paraag Marathe, and how that has grated on many of the Yorkshire folk I have spoken to. Leeds fans I know prefer honest straight talk over corporate gloss. Authenticity is important for relationships and a sense of connection and camaraderie.

TFG will have a clear strategic plan of the way forward.A new Chief Executive will have to fit to take that plan forward, whatever he has done in the past.

TFG will continue to provide very limited information on taking Everton forward and doubt there will be any AGMs or forums to ask.

But we are well use to that and putting forward are own views even though we don't have all the dots to join up.

It would be interesting to know how FAB are getting on.The Small Shareholders appear to be getting nowhere.

We will be able to concentrate more on the football.

Jerome, that is exactly my point, it is fundamentally vital to take into account what a CEO has done in the past. Sooner or later, there is a direct correlation between the ambition you indicate in the people you hire, and the results you produce in your performances on and off the pitch.

A CEO has to inspire a business, there is plenty of evidence to support that in the last 100 years. A club in our new position might want to look at how US CEO’s have built high performing revenue generating arenas – which is not Leeds Utd, no disrespect to Leeds themselves.

A CEO who can't – or won't communicate with his firm's customer base is not the model Everton should be considering. Apart from running a tight ship, selling the product – all things Everton – is vital!

No, we have no right to demand every little secret but we should be informed on issues which affect us as supporters. Speaking to Leeds fans in my family, I fear the worst if Kinnear shows the same disdain towards our fans that he has displayed at Elland Road.