Arsenal shock as executive vice-chairman suddenly leaves after 18 years with club

Arsenal executive vice-chairman Tim Lewis is stepping down from his role after 18 years with the club. The experienced lawyer has held numerous roles at the Emirates, but has risen to prominence in recent years amid the club’s rise back to the elite level of competing in the Champions League and for the Premier League. Lewis had become one of the most senior figures at Arsenal but is now stepping asideGetty The 62-year-old was initially hired as an advisor in 2007, but rose up the ranks to become a director in 2020 and then vice-chairman in 2023. Those roles saw him master the club’s pathway through the financially crippling Covid-19 pandemic, before becoming heavily involved in the transfer market. Arsenal spent an estimated £225million in the summer window, with Lewis key in landing £60m Eberechi Eze ahead of north London rivals Tottenham. His departure after such a rise to prominence comes as a surprise, particularly given his vital role in tying manager Mikel Arteta down to a new long term contract in 2022. However, Lewis has been more associated with owner Stan Kroenke, who has taken a step back in recent years to pass over the day-to-day running of the club over to son Josh. Managing director Richard Garlick is set to be promoted to CEO to work under Kroenke Jnr as part of a restructuring. Two more representatives from Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) will join the board, as will long-time advisor Ben Winston. Lewis was seen as part of a trio alongside Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta that landed signings in the transfer market. Gaps had to be filled in the midst of another shake up at executive level in November last year when previous sporting director Edu Gaspar left the club. The Brazilian left the club for a more powerful role at Nottingham Forest, and was said to be unsettled by Lewis’ growing influence at the Emirates. Lewis was initially hired by Josh Kroenke’s fatherGetty Lewis was key in signing Arteta to a new deal, as was Edu who has now also departed Martin Keown’s take on Tim Lewis Responding to Edu’s departure at the time, club legend and talkSPORT host Martin Keown showed his support for Lewis. “He’s a really good man,” Keown said. “This will be a loss to the club. There’s no doubt about that. “But there is huge stability there already with Tim Lewis on the board. “Richard Garlick now is someone that really impresses me and of course the manager.” Lewis was promoted to vice-chair in 2023 the same time that Stan Kroenke announced he would become co-chairman alongside his son Josh. Giving his thoughts on the movements, Arteta said: “It took some time to position themselves where they wanted in terms of how much of the club they own and how much they could decide and how much they could really benefit the club in the way they believe is right. Arteta has been a big supporter of the Kroenke’s who have allowed him to compete for Premier League titlesGetty “I believe they were really patient in exactly the right way. “Now they have shown they are fully committed, they have big ambitions and they are fully behind the club to give everything they can to make it successful. “I am convinced the owners will continue to do everything to make us very successful and continue to invest in the club in the right way.”

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Arsenal shock as executive vice-chairman suddenly leaves after 18 years with club

Arsenal executive vice-chairman Tim Lewis is stepping down from his role after 18 years with the club.

The experienced lawyer has held numerous roles at the Emirates, but has risen to prominence in recent years amid the club’s rise back to the elite level of competing in the Champions League and for the Premier League.

Lewis had become one of the most senior figures at Arsenal but is now stepping aside

The 62-year-old was initially hired as an advisor in 2007, but rose up the ranks to become a director in 2020 and then vice-chairman in 2023.

Those roles saw him master the club’s pathway through the financially crippling Covid-19 pandemic, before becoming heavily involved in the transfer market.

Arsenal spent an estimated £225million in the summer window, with Lewis key in landing £60m Eberechi Eze ahead of north London rivals Tottenham.

His departure after such a rise to prominence comes as a surprise, particularly given his vital role in tying manager Mikel Arteta down to a new long term contract in 2022.

However, Lewis has been more associated with owner Stan Kroenke, who has taken a step back in recent years to pass over the day-to-day running of the club over to son Josh.

Managing director Richard Garlick is set to be promoted to CEO to work under Kroenke Jnr as part of a restructuring.

Two more representatives from Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) will join the board, as will long-time advisor Ben Winston.

Lewis was seen as part of a trio alongside Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta that landed signings in the transfer market.

Gaps had to be filled in the midst of another shake up at executive level in November last year when previous sporting director Edu Gaspar left the club.

The Brazilian left the club for a more powerful role at Nottingham Forest, and was said to be unsettled by Lewis’ growing influence at the Emirates.

Lewis was initially hired by Josh Kroenke’s father

Lewis was key in signing Arteta to a new deal, as was Edu who has now also departed

Martin Keown’s take on Tim Lewis

Responding to Edu’s departure at the time, club legend and talkSPORT host Martin Keown showed his support for Lewis.

“He’s a really good man,” Keown said. “This will be a loss to the club. There’s no doubt about that.

“But there is huge stability there already with Tim Lewis on the board.

“Richard Garlick now is someone that really impresses me and of course the manager.”

Lewis was promoted to vice-chair in 2023 the same time that Stan Kroenke announced he would become co-chairman alongside his son Josh.

Giving his thoughts on the movements, Arteta said: “It took some time to position themselves where they wanted in terms of how much of the club they own and how much they could decide and how much they could really benefit the club in the way they believe is right.

Arteta has been a big supporter of the Kroenke’s who have allowed him to compete for Premier League titles

“I believe they were really patient in exactly the right way.

“Now they have shown they are fully committed, they have big ambitions and they are fully behind the club to give everything they can to make it successful.

“I am convinced the owners will continue to do everything to make us very successful and continue to invest in the club in the right way.”