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Kenyon: Shrewd on and off pitch
LONDON, England -- Peter Kenyon, who has stepped down from the top spot at Manchester United, is known as a shrewd businessman and endless deal maker, both on and off the pitch. They are skills he is expected to put to more use as chief executive of Chelsea -- Man United's arch rival in the English football league and an emerging powerhouse thanks to a recent multi-million-dollar spending spree by its new Russian owner. Kenyon, 49, who is being replaced at United by David Gill -- currently group managing director -- announced his resignation Tuesday after six years at Old Trafford. (Full story) During that time, he has helped create a global image for United through lucrative marketing deals. At the same time, he managed to secure the best price for the best players. "Peter, working in a (Manchester United) plc, did find a financial straitjacket around him, so that asset (his transfer dealings) is less important than his marketing expertise," a former football administrator, who is now part-owner of his own investment bank, told the UK's Press Association. Kenyon, a former chief executive at Umbro International, joined United in 1997 as deputy to then CEO Martin Edwards. He took over the top spot in August 2000. On the pitch, he signed several world-class players -- including Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and England defender Rio Ferdinand for a combined fee of about £80 million ($126.4 million) over the past two years. He also oversaw the sale of star David Beckham to Real Madrid this summer. On the sidelines, Kenyon fostered a strong relationship with manager Sir Alex Ferguson. He was instrumental in persuading the Scot to delay the retirement he had planned in 2001. Off the pitch, United -- a publicly listed company traded on the London Stock Exchange -- is debt-free, owns it own 68,000-capacity stadium and makes about £100 million a year through sponsorship deals. Kenyon negotiated record sponsorship deals with Vodafone and Nike and set up a ground-breaking merchandising arrangement with the New York Yankees. The club now enjoy a huge profile abroad, especially in the Far East, and they made further inroads into the American market by touring the United States over the summer.
"Peter comes in as chief executive of the most successful football business in the world," Keith Harris, a former Football League chairman, told PA. Harris was also an advisor on the sale of Chelsea to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Chelsea spent more than £110 million on 13 prominent players since Abramovich bought the team on July 1. "He is a very good businessman," Colin Hutchinson, former Chelsea chief executive, told the BBC. "What he has done commercially for United has made them streets ahead in England." he said. "Having Peter on board should help make Chelsea a truly global brand." Highlights of Kenyon's career:1968: Attends his first Manchester United match, the European Cup final. 1997: Appointed deputy chief executive at Old Trafford after leaving post as chief executive at Umbro. 2000: Takes over as chief executive from Martin Edwards. Helps negotiate £30 million sponsorship deal with Vodafone. 2001: Secures a new contract with manager Sir Alex Ferguson. United sign Juan Sebastian Veron for £28 million and Ruud van Nistelrooy for £19 million. 2002: Sparks controversy by suggesting that lower division clubs should go semi-professional. Oversees £30 million signing of Rio Ferdinand. 2003: Oversees £25 million sale of David Beckham.
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