Scottish soccer giants Rangers have announced the appointment of Jim Gillespie as the club’s new chief executive.
Replacing previous chief executive Patrick Stewart, who was relieved of his duties in November 2025 after a tumultuous on-pitch period for the club, Gillespie will step into the role later in the current 2025-26 season.
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Fraser Thornton, the executive director who had been serving as interim chief executive following Stewart’s departure, will remain in charge of the club until Gillespie joins, before stepping back into his primary role, which will also have a “significant day-to-day presence within the club.”
Gillespie was previously chief executive of Scottish charity organization Kibble, having stepped into that role in 2016 after a number of years within the care industry.
He also has significant experience in Scottish soccer via St Mirren, the top-flight side that he became a director of in 2020, before becoming vice-chair in 2021.
St Mirren, a partner of Kibble, said that Gillespie had played an “integral” role in the team’s transition to fan ownership.
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By GlobalDataDuring his time at the Paisley club, St Mirren have undergone a period of relative success, including three top-six finishes, a return to European competition via the UEFA Conference League qualifying round, and, most recently, winning the 2025 edition of the Scottish League Cup.
While to many, the step up from mid-table side St Mirren to 55-times champions Rangers may seem a drastic one, the unique challenges of running Scottish clubs (outwith traditional heavyweights such as Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts, or Hibernian) mean that finding success despite stringent budgetary restrictions is nonetheless commendable.
Indeed, in the 2024-25 campaign, in which St Mirren achieved their highest league finish since the 1984-85 season, the club managed to nonetheless turn a net profit of £726,639 ($977,482), on total revenue of £8.6 million, which itself had grown by over £2 million on the year prior.
If balancing success with sustainability is to be the focus at Rangers, as Gillespie himself alluded to upon his hiring announcement, then his experience at St Mirren will be crucial.
Gillespie said: “The focus now is on delivery: rolling up our sleeves, setting clear standards and ensuring the organization is aligned behind sustainable success on the pitch.”
Andrew Cavenagh, Rangers’ chair, added: “We spoke to an exceptional group of candidates across Scotland and Europe, and Jim consistently stood out for his understanding of what Rangers stands for and the standards this club demands.
“He impressed us with his ability to lead people, connect with the club and its supporters, and operate at a very high level day to day.”
Cavenagh led a consortium that took over Rangers in early 2025, joined by the 49ers Enterprises investment group.
Rangers currently sit second in the Scottish Premiership after 22 games, and are also competing in the UEFA Europa League competition, although with two games remaining, they have been eliminated from contention.
