Leicester City have announced that Susan Whelan has stepped down from her role as chief executive officer after 15 years with the club.
Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha (Khun Top) will also take on the chief executive role temporarily while a new appointment is made and will take a more hands-on role in the running of the club after recent years of struggle.
The decision for Whelan to leave was mutual between the 62-year-old and the club.
Whelan joined Leicester when the club were taken over by the consortium that would eventually be King Power International, owned by former chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
She oversaw the business operations of the club during the most successful period in the club’s history and was a respected voice at Premier League meetings.
Following the death of Khun Vichai in a helicopter accident outside King Power Stadium in 2018, she provided steady leadership and support for his son, Khun Top, when he stepped up into his father’s role.
Whelan was an influential figure under Khun Vichai but in recent years, she has been less involved in the football side of the club while overseeing the business affairs of the club.
Leicester not only won the Premier League in 2016 but competed in three European campaigns and won the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history in 2021.
However, in recent years, Leicester have faced difficulties with meeting profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) as they chased continued success. The issues were exacerbated by a shock relegation in 2023, and despite an immediate return to the Premier League, they were relegated again last season amidst growing unrest amongst the fanbase.
A section of the supporters have been calling for more managerial changes at the club, but sources have told The Athletic there are no more plans for further changes to the leadership structure at the club, leaving Khun Top to work with director of football Jon Rudkin.
Leicester’s attempts for promotion back to the top flight could be hampered by sanctions as they face three charges from the Premier League for alleged breaches of PSR. A hearing will begin soon, with the outcome expected in the new year
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