Menu
Franchises

Scottish Premiership Side Hibernian FC Appoints Leeann Dempster As CEO

The board of Scottish Premiership side Hibernian FC confirmed the appointment of Leeann Dempster as CEO. Dempster joins from Motherwell FC and begins her position with Hibernian on June 1. Rod Petrie will stand down as interim CEO on Dempster's appointment but will continue in his role as non-exec chairman (Hibernian). In Edinburgh, David Hardie wrote it is the first move "in a shake-up at the Easter Road club with further changes planned in the near future." Dempster "will be given a free hand to implement the changes she feels are necessary to drive the Edinburgh outfit forward having built up an impressive reputation as a football leader during her six years at Motherwell." Her arrival "will be only the first piece of the jigsaw, with the Easter Road board having been conscious for some time of the need for change." Greater supporter engagement allied to a cooperative effort between management, fans and members of the board to form views and opinions "will be central to shaping how Hibs go forward, with Dempster highly regarded for the work she's done in that regard at Fir Park." Dempster initially joined the Steelmen as general manager at the invitation of former Chair John Boyle, "having been a marketing manager for his Zoom Airlines." In a male-dominated environment, she has become "an influential figure within the SPFL and is also a member of the European Club Association’s marketing and communications board." Petrie has been acting as interim CEO since Scott Lindsay stepped down almost two years ago but will remain chairman on a non-exec basis "of what will become a seven-strong board which already has one female member in lawyer Amanda Jones" (EDINBURGH NEWS, 4/29). The BBC reported Dempster "is relishing her new role" and hopes to create "a vision that everyone can buy into." Dempster: "I believe that to succeed in a sustainable way in the long term we need to grow club resources, re-engage lapsed supporters and strengthen the club collectively" (BBC, 4/29). 

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: May 8, 2024

Start your morning with Buzzcast with Austin Karp: The NFL sets a date for its 2024 schedule release, while also dropping hints that it could soon approve private equity investment in teams; WNBA teams finally land charter flights; the F1 Miami Grand Prix delivers a record on TV; and Elevate lands in Happy Valley.

Phoenix Mercury/NBC’s Cindy Brunson, NBA Media Deal, Network Upfronts

On this week’s pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp chats with SBJ NBA writer Tom Friend about the pending NBA media Deal. Cindy Brunson of NBC and Phoenix Mercury is our Big Get this week. The sports broadcasting pioneer talks the upcoming WNBA season. Later in the show, SBJ media writer Mollie Cahillane gets us set for the upcoming network upfronts.

SBJ I Factor: Molly Mazzolini

SBJ I Factor features an interview with Molly Mazzolini. Elevate's Senior Operating Advisor – Design + Strategic Alliances chats with SBJ’s Ross Nethery about the power of taking chances. Mazzolini is a member of the SBJ Game Changers Class of 2016. She shares stories of her career including co-founding sports design consultancy Infinite Scale career journey and how a chance encounter while working at a stationery store launched her career in the sports industry. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2014/04/30/Franchises/Hibernian.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2014/04/30/Franchises/Hibernian.aspx

CLOSE