By Chelsie Sewell

Copyright glasgowworld

He will be succeeded by John Gillespie, the current Chief Commercial, Customer and Marketing Officer, who was previously Chief Operating Officer. As part of an executive management team who all joined the group in 2018, which includes the Chief Financial Officer, Mike Evans, they oversaw the turnaround of Powerleague’s core football business and the recent major investment and expansion into the fast-growing sport, Padel. Most recently, they managed the acquisition of the Powerleague group by Broadsword Investment Management Ltd (BIM), a UK-based private equity firm focused on real estate-backed growth opportunities. Alongside new CEO John Gillespie, an accomplished leader with significant operational experience gained across retail, financial services and leisure and hospitality, Mike Evans will continue in his role as CFO. In addition, he will simultaneously be taking on an expanded strategic role within the wider BIM group. Christian Rose will remain working with group until June 2026 to support the business in its continued ambitious growth strategy, while also expanding his own NED portfolio opportunities and spending time with his family. Over the last seven years, Powerleague has grown to operate 43 clubs across the UK, welcoming over 9 million customers annually. In addition to its core football offering, the business manages over 250 third-party venues that provide both football and netball. As part of its evolution into a football-first, leading multi-sport operator, Powerleague announced plans earlier this year to introduce padel – the world’s fastest-growing participation sport – to nearly half of its clubs nationwide. New CEO John Gillespie will now oversee the £14 million UK-wide rollout, which will see Powerleague deliver 76 courts across 18 clubs by 2026. These new clubs will make the sport accessible to over 200,000 players annually, and cement Powerleague’s ambition to become the nation’s leading provider of urban sport. With the backing of Broadsword, Powerleague will also continue to invest in its football clubs, with pitch regeneration and new site development central to its current strategy. It is also expanding its third-party venue network in schools and leisure facilities to promote the benefits of sport and increase participation across UK communities. Christian Rose, the outgoing CEO of Powerleague, said: “It’s been an amazing experience to have seen Powerleague transform into the successful company it is now, thanks to the hard work of such an amazing and passionate team. “I’m also delighted that John Gillespie is taking over and I’m sure he will be an undoubted success with the backing of our new owners Broadsword, who are supportive of the strategic business plan that we have been developing in recent years. I look forward to continuing to watch the growth of Powerleague with genuine affection and pride.” John Gillespie, new CEO of Powerleague, commented: “I’m hugely excited to be leading Powerleague for the next phase of growth, working alongside an outstanding team of colleagues and with the support of Broadsword. “It’s our mission to make sport more accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable for everyone and our strategic move towards being a multi-sport operator will only help us achieve this goal. “Our ambition is to become the biggest and best operator of small-sided sports in the UK and beyond, recognised for our leading facilities and friendly, welcoming clubs. “I’d personally like to thank Christian for his friendship and guidance during our time working together.” Daniel Sennett, Co-Founder and CEO of Broadsword, added: “We’d like to thank Christian for the fantastic job he has done at Powerleague and wish him well in the future. Now is an exciting time in the evolution of Powerleague as it explores the opportunities to grow into a major multi-sports operator. “With John, Mike and the remaining management team in place, we have the right ingredients to build on the success of this world-class small-sided football business and the national footprint to really open up Padel to the masses.”