'Exceptional contributions' - Long-serving Brighton board members to step down

Chairman Tony Bloom paid tribute to both saying, “We have benefitted hugely from a stable and consistent board of directors for many years. By the time Derek and Marc, who have both made exceptional contributions to the club, step down next summer it will be eight years since Michelle Walder joined our board and we last made any change to our non-executive directors.

“Derek joined the board when the club was playing at Gillingham in the old Third Division in 1999, and will have served the club as a director for 25 years when he steps down.As a lifelong fan, Derek helped fund the move back to Withdean and to keep the club afloat during the early 2000s, and is credited along with several others with coming up with the club’s famous ‘Seagulls’ nickname in 1975.

“Derek’s expertise and experience in the construction industry was pivotal for the delivery of the American Express Stadium and the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre, both of which he project managed and delivered on time and on budget. Derek also acted as the club’s interim chief executive early in 2012, was a trustee of Albion in the Community (now Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation) for six years, and chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion women’s football operations, when the team was promoted to The FA Women’s Super League.

“Now that the club’s main infrastructure is in place, Derek feels that it is the right time for him to step down from the club’s board. Marc, a chartered accountant and another lifelong Brighton fan, joined the club’s board in 2009. With a background in banking, Marc’s considerable experience as a media analyst for Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, has provided the club with invaluable insight in to the value of sports media rights during his time on the board.

“Marc has also served as a trustee for Albion in the Community (now Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation) stepping down from this role in the summer of 2022 after 12 years. Both the club and charity have benefitted hugely from Marc’s business experience, dedication and great loyalty over many years. On behalf of everyone at the club, I’d like to place on record my thanks to both Derek and Marc for the tremendous service they’ve given to the club, and on a personal note, the excellent support they’ve given to me in my time as chairman.”

Ray Bloom, Robert Comer, Adam Franks, Peter Godfrey, and Michelle Walder continue their long service to the club’s board as non-executive directors alongside the club’s executive directors Paul Barber (chief executive and deputy chairman), Paul Mullen (chief operating officer) and Lee Cooper (finance director).