Insider Sport

Tottenham Hotspur has confirmed the appointment of Vinai Venkatesham as the club’s new CEO.

Venkatesham notably spent a stint as CEO of Spurs’ fiercest rivals Arsenal FC from 2020-2024, as well as 14 years as part of Arsenal’s management team.

He also has experience as a non-executive Director of the British Olympic Association, playing an integral role in the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games. Venkatesham was also a former member of the Board and Executive Committee of the European Club Association.

Commenting on Venkatesham’s appointment, Executive Chairman Daniel Levy said: “The club has experienced significant growth in recent years, making it crucial to expand our executive management.

“I have known Vinai for many years, having worked together in the Premier League and the ECA. I am personally delighted that he has agreed to join our Board as we build for success.”

Venkatesham’s arrival as new Spurs CEO comes at a time of unrest amongst supporters of the club. There has been more than one fan protest outside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium recently over supporters’ frustration over Levy’s running of the Premier League club during the last several years.

Tottenham is enduring one of the worst performing seasons in the league this season, currently sitting 15th having lost 17 games. Fans believe Levy’s unwillingness to spend more of the club’s revenue on the first team squad has resulted in the poor performance of this season.

Tottenham’s overall revenue for the 2023/24 financial year stood at £528.2m and despite a 4% decrease year-over-year, it represented the fifth highest revenue generated by a Premier League club.

Although Venkatesham’s past Arsenal ties may be another cause for concern for Spurs fans, he did preside over the club’s resurgence as a title contender and European club mainstay.

Venkatesham will be tasked to not only help Spurs climb back up the Premier League table next year, but also generate new revenue streams in order to help the club maintain its solid financial position.

He commented on his new role at Spurs, stating: “I’m excited to be joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer. After taking some time to recharge and evaluate my options, I believe this is an exceptional opportunity to work with Daniel, the Board and all of the staff, to take the club forward.”

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Tottenham Hotspur has struck a three-year strategic partnership with digital payment and financial service provider Ant International to provide a range of digital options to the club’s fans.

The partnership sees Ant International, including its brands Alipay+, Antom and WorldFirst, become the exclusive official global payment solutions and digital wallet partner of Tottenham Hotspur. Alipay+ will also become the first official training wear sleeve partner for both the men’s and women’s teams.

Spurs will work with Ant International, through its digital technology solutions brand Alipay+ and merchant payment services brand Antom, to provide a seamless payment experience for fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and on e-commerce platforms.

Daniel Levy, Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, said: “The club and Ant International are fully aligned as we look to deepen connections with our football fans through digital interactions.”

Ant International will also support Spurs on activations to drive growth of and engagement with its fanbase in the APAC region via its partner digital payment apps, including Alipay.

The Singapore-based fintech has been building a developing presence within football following a successful partnership with UEFA over the past four years, being one of its primary partners for both EURO 2020 and EURO 2024.

Yang Peng, CEO of Ant International, spoke more on the importance of aligning the company’s vision with that of football clubs like Spurs and how its digital payment solutions can help complement this.

He said: “Football is a game that can be enjoyed by everyone and has the power to transcend borders, bringing people together. This aligns with Ant International’s mission in our globalisation – leveraging technological innovation to provide individuals and small businesses with greater access to inclusive financial services.

“Tottenham Hotspur has the forward-looking vision of leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance fan experience. We resonate with the club’s ‘To Dare is To Do’ spirit and look forward to working closely with Tottenham Hotspur to engage with its global fan base through our innovative payment and digitalisation solutions, inspiring the 1.6 billion consumers served by Alipay+ and its partners through the sport and the club.”

“We shall also be supporting the growth in awareness of the Ant International brand across our extensive global platforms as an elite Premier League club. Ant International, together with its ecosystem associates, brings a wealth of experience in digital fan engagement in football following its partnerships during the two most recent UEFA European championships.

“We are excited to work with them to enhance the digital experience for our fans in-Stadium and online – and further engage our fanbase across the APAC region.”