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Chelsea Women opt for surprise CEO choice
The Guardian
|September 12, 2024
Chelsea have appointed a media expert with no experience of running a football club as the first chief executive officer of their women's team.
 Aki Mandhar has been headhunted to run the Women's Super League champions from her position as general manager of the Athletic, the website owned by the New York Times.
Mandhar is due to start work before the end of the year with a brief to ensure the club's on-field success is replicated off the field. Despite winning a fifth successive WSL title last season Chelsea failed to attract big crowds when their games were moved to Stamford Bridge, in contrast to Arsenal's success in filling the Emirates Stadium.
Mandhar's appointment has caused surprise at Chelsea given her limited experience of football.
Before joining the Athletic four years ago she was chief operating officer at the Daily Telegraph after beginning her career in public relations.
Mandhar will become the first chief executive of Chelsea Women.
This story is from the September 12, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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