Arsenal have appointed Omar Shaikh as the club’s first-ever Chief Revenue Officer as the Premier League champions strengthen their commercial operation.
Shaikh will join Arsenal’s Executive Team and take responsibility for revenue-generating areas including partnerships, ventures, commercial venue operations and retail.
The appointment brings several important commercial departments under one senior executive as Arsenal look to increase the income supporting Mikel Arteta’s sporting project.
According to [Inside World Football’s report on Arsenal’s new structure](https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2026/09/15/arsenal-appoint-first-ever-cro-to-lead-commercial-growth/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), Shaikh has been promoted after playing an important role in growing the club’s commercial partnerships since joining in 2023.
Arsenal said his new role would **“help drive revenue growth that supports our ambition to win major trophies”** while keeping supporters central to the club’s approach.
Arsenal strengthen commercial operation
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Shaikh initially led Arsenal’s partnerships growth before taking wider responsibility for partnerships and ventures in 2024.
His promotion now expands that remit considerably.
Commercial growth has become increasingly important for elite Premier League clubs, with sponsorship, retail, hospitality and stadium-related revenues helping provide the financial base required to maintain expensive first-team squads.
Arsenal have already invested heavily in Arteta’s champions this year, with ReadArsenal’s [full breakdown of the club’s 2026 transfer business](https://readarsenal.com/2026/09/02/arsenal-transfers-2026-signings-exits-fees/) showing the scale of the squad rebuild.
Shaikh’s appointment should not be viewed as a guarantee of additional transfer spending.
Instead, it represents Arsenal’s attempt to build a stronger commercial operation alongside their progress on the pitch.
For a club attempting to sustain a Premier League title-winning squad rather than merely assemble one, increasing recurring revenue could prove almost as important as any individual signing.