Chelsea, the English Premier League soccer club, have confirmed the departure of chief revenue officer (CRO) Casper Stylsvig, with president of commercial Todd Kline’s role consolidated as part of an executive restructuring.
Among the changes, James Murray, formerly chief strategy officer and head of business operations at the club, now assumes a new role as chief operating officer, taking on a wider remit of responsibility in the day-to-day running of club operations.
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Kline will lead the club’s commercial team and has joined Chelsea’s business leadership team along with chief digital officer Phil Lynch, who will continue to head up the club’s marketing, content, and product divisions.
All three will report to the Chelsea president, Jason Gannon.
The club announced that Stylsvig has left the club to “pursue other opportunities” after two years as CRO. The Dane joined Chelsea from Italian giants AC Milan in November 2023.
The West London-based club credited him with “playing a key role in driving the club’s commercial development, strengthening global partnerships and supporting Chelsea’s continued growth.”
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By GlobalDataIn a statement, Chelsea stated: “Todd and Phil are both steeped in experience and respected in their fields, and we look forward to continue working with them to drive the club forward, building on the foundations for the future. As a club, we also want to express our collective gratitude to Casper for all his work and commitment since joining.
“James Murray’s promotion to COO is well-deserved. Since joining the club, he has played a crucial role in the progress we have made in all areas across the business, and we look forward to continuing to grow as a club together.”
Kline was appointed to head up Chelsea’s commercial operations last November from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, replacing Tom Glick, who left his role as president of business in 2023 after just 10 months.
Chelsea have gone through a period of significant executive-level change since the club's takeover by a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in May 2022 for £4.25 billion ($5.4 billion).
In September 2024, chief executive Chris Jurasek departed the club after 15 months in the role, with former chief operating officer Gannon named as his successor.
Just months after taking control of the club, the Boehly-Clearlake consortium hired Damian Willoughby as commercial director but fired him just weeks later after finding evidence that he had sent “inappropriate messages” to a finance agent.
Through the upheaval, Chelsea have been unable to secure a new front-of-shirt sponsor. The club has been without a permanent principal partner since the 2023-24 season.
Dubai-based luxury real estate company Damac Properties featured on the front of the shirts for the men’s and women’s teams for the final few games of the 2024-25 season as part of a wider global partnership.
