Sunderland have announced the departure of interim CEO Tom Burwell with immediate effect.
The shock announcement confirmed that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus will step up on a day-to-day basis as executive chairman, working more closely with staff at the club. Burwell was appointed to the role earlier this year following the departure of David Bruce, having previously served as a non-executive director on the club’s board.
Burwell was well known to the club’s ownership due to his prominent role in the Bia Sports Group, the overarching company through which Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori manage their sporting portfolio. Following Bruce’s surprise departure, Burwell was charged with managing the club’s transition to a Premier League operation off the pitch. However, he has now left his role just seven months after his appointment.
Match-day action, exclusive analysis team news and much more when you sign up for our SAFC newsletter - it’s free to join
“Tom Burwell has left his position as Interim Chief Executive Officer of Sunderland AFC with immediate effect,” a statement from Sunderland AFC reads.
“The Club thanks Tom for his contribution over the past five months and wishes him well for the future. Sunderland AFC owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus will assume the role of Executive Chairman, working closely with the Club’s senior management team to lead the Club day-to-day. The Club will make no further comment at this time.”
Join the Echo’s WhatsApp SAFC Channel for the latest news, team & injury updates direct to your phone.Simply click this link to join.
Burwell’s role has coincided with a period of significant acrimony off the pitch, with fans left frustrated by a number of ongoing ticketing issues and the rollout of a new club membership scheme. The club also saw a controversial front-of-shirt sponsorship scheme fall through at the very final stage; a deal with Visit Ghana agreed but not signed off by the Ghanaian government. Talks have been continuing with alternative options.
Burwell recently held a meeting with the club’s supporter collective in which he acknowledged many of the issues fans have been facing, but insisted that the club would be in a better place in the long run for the changes implemented during his time.
Your next Sunderland read: Florent Ghisolfi explains his key focus at Sunderland right now - and it's not the January window