Vinai Venkatesham twist emerges as Tottenham CEO set to leave position already
Tottenham announced their decision to appoint Vinai Venkatesham as their new CEO on Friday.
It emerged on 11 April that Spurs have roped in the former Arsenal chief executive in the same role, albeit a newly-created one, ahead of the summer.
Having previously been a part of Arsenal and the London 2012 Olympics, the administrator boasts a wealth of experience in sporting and commercial operations.
In their official announcement, the North London giants confirmed that Venkatesham will start in his role with their board in the summer.
Tottenham in new Venkatesham twist
It is only a matter of weeks before Venkatesham joins the Tottenham board as their new CEO.
Meanwhile, the former Arsenal chief executive has decided to leave his role as the chair of the Wembley Stadium Advisory Board, according to BBC.
The broadcasters reported via their website on Monday (14 April) that the Football Association hired the British-Indian to oversee the future development of the Wembley Stadium in December.
However, Venkatesham has decided to step down from his role with the FA before taking office at Tottenham at the end of the season.
| Vinai Venkatesham – Arsenal | Time |
| Various sales/partnerships roles | 2010-2014 |
| Chief Commercial Officer | 2014-2018 |
| Managing Director | 2018-2020 |
| Chief Executive Officer | 2020-2024 |
One of the reasons behind the decision is that Spurs and the FA compete for the right to host non-footballing events at their respective stadiums.
Venkatesham has, therefore, decided to leave his role with the FA to avoid a conflict of interest.
This does not come as a surprise as to the Football Association as they were always aware of the possibility that he would return to football.
Exc: Tottenham incoming CEO Vinai Venkatesham to step down from his role as chair of the Wembley Stadium Advisory Board to avoid conflict of interest issues. The FA and Spurs compete to stage non-football events. https://t.co/ZiCZ98YVT2
— Sami Mokbel (@SamiMokbel_BBC) April 14, 2025
Venkatesham to work alongside Levy at Spurs
Venkatesham’s arrival has raised question marks about Levy’s role as Tottenham’s chairman.
However, Levy will continue functioning as he always has, with the former Arsenal CEO of 14 years expected to work alongside him.
The appointment, though, could signal change for Scott Munn’s role as the chief football officer in North London.
It remains to be seen how Venkatesham’s hiring will change things behind the scenes at Tottenham.