Daniel Levy has stepped down as Tottenham Hotspur’s chair after nearly 25 years at the helm, with the Lewis family ushering in a new leadership era at the club.
Peter Charrington, who joined the board in March, will assume the newly established role of nonexecutive chair, while chief executive Vinai Venkatesham is set to take on greater responsibility.
The ownership sees fresh investment as a key objective, crucial to driving commercial growth and supporting ambitions for success on the pitch.
A source close to the Lewis family explained: “Generations of the family support this special football club and they want what the fans want – more wins more often.
This is why you have seen recent changes, new leadership and a fresh approach. In Vinai, Thomas [Frank, the new manager] and Peter Charrington, they believe they are backing the right team to deliver on this. This is a new era.”
Levy, who replaced Alan Sugar in February 2001, departs with a mixed legacy. While he oversaw Tottenham’s rise into football’s financial elite and masterminded the construction of a world-class stadium and training complex, fans frequently accused him of prioritising profit over trophies.
Thirteen managers were dismissed under his tenure, and despite sporadic success, the 2008 League Cup and last season’s Europa League triumph — supporters often voiced frustration through protests.
Yet Levy’s commercial vision delivered results. Deloitte’s 2023-24 Money League ranked Spurs ninth globally with an annual turnover of £512m, despite missing out on European competition that year.
On the domestic front, however, inconsistency remained, highlighted by a 17th-place league finish last season.
The 63-year-old was also behind the decision to part ways with Ange Postecoglou after the Europa League win, bringing in Thomas Frank to lead the team. Beyond football, Levy’s focus expanded to ambitious projects: an on-site hotel and indoor arena near the stadium, major residential developments in Tottenham, and enhanced training facilities, including a hub for the women’s team and a bespoke NFL training base in Enfield.
Levy had appeared committed to these ventures, particularly after Venkatesham’s arrival in April.
The former Arsenal executive was appointed to handle day-to-day operations, freeing Levy to concentrate on wider projects.
In June, sitting alongside Levy in a club video, Venkatesham remarked he would take “more of a lead day-to-day on operational matters on the pitch and off the pitch.” Spurs later clarified his recruitment was part of long-term succession planning.
Charrington, who has long-standing ties to Joe Lewis, now takes the reins. A former Citi Private Bank chief executive and Enic director, he has also held senior roles at Nexus Luxury Collection in the Bahamas, co-founded by Lewis himself.
Lewis, once Spurs’ ultimate benefactor, stepped back from the Lewis Family Trust in October 2022, leaving control to unnamed relatives. His reputation was subsequently damaged by insider trading charges in the US, leading to a $5m fine and three years’ probation in April 2024.
Despite ongoing speculation about takeovers and outside investment, Spurs have insisted their ownership structure remains unchanged.
The Lewis Family Trust continues to hold 70.12% of Enic, which owns 86.91% of Spurs, with Levy and relatives controlling the remaining 29.88%.
With speculation mounting over whether the absence of Levy’s divisive presence might ease the hunt for investors, figures such as Amanda Staveley, the former Newcastle director central to the Saudi-backed takeover at St James’ Park — have reportedly grown in influence.
Charrington, however, stressed the focus is now on stability “This is a new era of leadership for the club, on and off the pitch. I do recognise there has been a lot of change in recent months as we put in place new foundations for the future.
“We are now fully focused on stability and empowering our talented people across the club, led by Vinai and his executive team.”
