New Chairman

[Cabanas Blue]

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... ry-retires

Mark Ashton it's about time he did a bit of work

[Bluemike]

Sad to see him go. To be honest I think its too much responsibility and work for Mark Ashton to do on top of the CEO role, the focus is split.

[Ricco]

Sad to see him go. To be honest I think its too much responsibility and work for Mark Ashton to do on top of the CEO role, the focus is split.

Especially now as a Premier League club and considering he doesn't have experience at this level. Perhaps he was basically doing both jobs anyway, O'Leary was rarely mentioned or visable, perhaps that was his personality, or perhaps it's because he was there to help rather than act??

[Cabanas Blue]

Agree his family are 200 miles away so you can understand his reasons for retirement wish him well.

[hallamblue]

I'm sure MA will only be covering thus post until a replacement is found. Also, It's not good practice for him to hold two posts on the Board, and I'm sure the Club knows this.

[Charnwood]

It’s not unusual these days to have a CEO & Executive Chairman in a combined role and certainly streamline's the running of the business and speeds up decision making. The only danger of course is that it means nobody manages Mark Ashton who now managers both the Football Club and The Board of Directors. I assume he would still only have one vote on The Board plus the casting vote in the event of any Board decision that is even. Given the CEO and Chairman are always expected to be aligned this should not create any major problems but of course it does leave Mark Ashton basically unmanaged and would need a major coup by the other Directors to oust him from position.
It wouldn’t significantly increase his workload as he probably prepares all the board papers anyway, it just means he chairs the Board Meetings rather than attends them as a board member.
If his workload increases too much he could simply delegate some of his CEO responsibilities to another senior manager. It could certainly work as long as the owners trust he’s the right man to do it.
From what I’ve read the existing Chairman probably does very little other than manage the other Directors and Board Meetings in a very part time capacity. This was probably fine in League One but far more demanding at a Premier League football club.