December 2 – In what has become an almost farcical situation, the English Premier League’s search for a new boss is back on after David Pemsel resigned as chief executive two months before he was even due to start.
Pemsel was appointed last month to take over from Richard Scudamore in what was already a case of third time lucky after Discovery executive Susanna Dinnage accepted the job only to change her mind, and then BBC Studios boss Tim Davie also rejecting an offer at the start of the year.
Now a fourth appointment is required after Pemsel, CEO of the Guardian newspaper for more than eight years, stood down following allegations in the Sun newspaper about his private life.
The Premier League will now resume its hunt to replace the long-serving Scudamore, who stepped down in November 2018.
The Premier League said in a statement: “Following media disclosures and discussions with David Pemsel, the Premier League has today accepted David’s resignation and he will no longer be joining as chief executive.
“Richard Masters will continue as interim chief executive. No further comment will be made at this stage.”
Pemsel, who is married, resigned following reported leaked texts alleging him showing interest in a female work colleague. The reports have since been taken down.
Pemsel’s appointment had been approved by a meeting of the league’s 20 clubs following a recommendation by the nominations committee led by Bruce Buck, the Chelsea chairman, who said Pemsel, a Chelsea fan, had “straightforward style and personal integrity”.
Pemsel, 51, began his career at the Guardian in 2011 as responsible for marketing campaigns, before moving up the ranks of the company’s commercial team. In 2015, he became the newspaper’s chief executive and oversaw a process for The Guardian to break-even and sell off external assets to leave the newspaper with a £1 billion endowment fund to support its core business.
Previously, Pemsel worked at ITV where he became group marketing director at the commercial broadcaster.
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