Newcastle United Makes Three Senior Leadership Appointments

Newcastle United has announced three new appointments to the executive team of CEO David Hopkinson.

The new hires are set to strengthening the club’s leadership function as it builds towards sustainable long-term success.

Tyneside-born executive Graeme Johnson has joined the club as Chief People Officer, while agency founder and former FIFA executive Dave O’Connor will also arrive at St. James’ Park as Chief Revenue Officer later this month. Meanwhile, global brand and marketing strategist Steven Taylor will take up the role of Chief Marketing Officer on 1st July.

The appointments reflect the club’s continued investment into building a high-performing organisation off the pitch, aligned with its vision for sustainable growth and success.

They add to the club’s nine-strong executive leadership team, which includes David Hopkinson (CEO), Simon Capper (CFO), Brad Miller (COO), Ross Wilson (Sporting Director) and other senior executives from across the club’s key functions.

Graeme Johnson

Joining as Chief People Officer, Johnson is a senior executive who specialises in building high-performance cultures. Having coached and developed multiple executive teams, he has helped multinational brands to deliver sustained commercial and organisational success.

He leaves the position of Global Vice President of People and Culture at entertainment and leisure company Merlin Entertainments, where he has collaborated with international brands including LEGO, Hasbro and Ferrari.

Throughout his career, Johnson has led large-scale cultural transformation and talent strategies. He has previously held senior leadership roles across consultancy, sports business and media and entertainment sectors, working for organisations including Virgin Media, BT and Entain.

Dave O’Connor

O’Connor joins as Chief Revenue Officer, responsible for driving commercial growth across all aspects of the club – from partnerships and retail, to licensing and new business development.

A co-founder of global sports marketing firm 18K Sports, headquartered in Zurich, he has spent more than 20 years delivering high-impact, revenue-generating commercial programmes for sport’s most powerful brands and rights holders around the world.

He previously worked in FIFA’s commercial division for seven years, and has held management roles at leading sports companies such as Wanda / Infront Sports and GMR Marketing, specialising in global commercial partnerships.

Steven Taylor

Steven will join Newcastle United as Chief Marketing Officer on 1st July. He arrives with more than 20 years of experience in global brand building, fan and consumer engagement and commercial growth – working with major organisations across consumer, lifestyle, hospitality and service-led industries.

With a strong passion for sport and expertise in creating emotionally resonant brands, Steven will lead the club’s marketing strategy as Newcastle United continues to grow its presence and engage supporters around the world.

Commenting on the appointments, Newcastle United, CEO David Hopkinson, said: “Graeme, Dave and Steven each bring proven leadership and deep expertise in their respective fields, and I’m truly delighted to welcome them to Newcastle United.

“In the near term, their focus will be on strengthening our organisational capability – embedding a high-performance culture, sharpening our global brand, and accelerating key revenue streams.

“Over the longer term, these appointments are about building the foundations of a world-class organisation. By investing in people, brand and commercial growth, we are positioning the club for sustainable success and ensuring we can compete consistently at the highest level on and off the pitch.”