Chelsea Women appoint Aki Mandhar as first dedicated chief executive officer

Following the repositioning of Chelsea Women to grow dedicated resources independent of the men’s team, and as part of our long-term strategic plan, a thorough and extensive search began to identify and appoint a chief executive. Mandhar’s appointment will see her take responsibility for all business areas of Chelsea Women.

Mandhar said: ‘I am delighted to be joining Chelsea Women, particularly at such an exciting time in the club’s history and women’s football.

’Chelsea Women has long been a trailblazer in sport, with a rich history of success, and I’m incredibly proud to be leading the club into this new era in which we have huge opportunities to grow. I am thoroughly looking forward to getting started.’

Board member Barbara Charone said: ‘We are thrilled that Aki will be leading Chelsea Women into this exciting new chapter at a pivotal moment in women’s football.

’She is a talented and dynamic leader, with a vision that will help the club fulfil its huge potential. Aki is a brilliant addition to an already strong and ambitious team, and we cannot wait to see what we can all achieve together.’

Mandhar will officially start work with Chelsea Women later this year following a distinguished career as a senior executive within the media industry, most recently with The New York Times having played a leading role in launching The Athletic in the United Kingdom. Prior to that, Mandhar has been chief operating officer at The Daily Telegraph and a managing director of MediaCom, where she was responsible for the entertainment division.