Tim Lewis declined Arsenal position after abrupt removal

Tim Lewis was offered but rejected an alternative role at Arsenal following his unexpected removal from his position.

Tim Lewis declined another Arsenal position after his abrupt removal from the executive vice-chair role during the September international break. According to The Athletic, Lewis was informed he would not be continuing in his current position but was subsequently offered a non-executive director role, which he turned down.

The 62-year-old corporate lawyer’s departure came as part of a major boardroom reshuffle. Lewis, who has worked with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment since 2007, became a director at Arsenal in September 2020 before being promoted to executive vice-chair in March 2023.

Lewis played an important role in Arsenal’s summer transfer business and his close relationship with Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish was pivotal in sealing the £68million acquisition of Eberechi Eze. The former Clifford Chance partner was also crucial in securing other major signings during a summer window that saw Arsenal spend over £250million on reinforcements.

The timing of Lewis’ removal surprised many within the football community, coming shortly after what was widely regarded as a successful transfer window. Lewis had forged a strong bond with manager Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta in the last months.

Richard Garlick, who joined Arsenal in 2021 as Director of Football Operations and has served as Managing Director for the past year, was promoted to Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. The boardroom changes also saw Kroenke Sports & Entertainment’s Kelly Blaha and Otto Maly join as Non-Executive Directors alongside long-time KSE advisor Dave Steiner.

Producer and director Ben Winston, a season ticket holder at the club for over 30 years, also joined the Board as a Non-Executive Director.

Co-chair Josh Kroenke acknowledged Lewis’ contributions to the club’s recent progress. “At this moment, we would like to thank Tim for his continued dedication and commitment to Arsenal in a period of transformational change for the club. He has played a pivotal role and ensured we are in a great position to continue to deliver our strategy in our ambition to win major trophies”.