Arsenal’s plans to grow the club’s revenues to close the gap on their rivals have continued with the appointment of a key member of staff to a new role.
Omar Shaikh, who joined the Gunners last year from Premier League rivals Liverpool, has been promoted from his role as partnership development director to a new role of global partnerships and ventures director, a role where he will report directly to chief commercial officer Juliet Slot.
Arsenal, who finished second in the Premier League last year and booked Champions League football for another campaign, saw their commercial revenue rise by 19% for 2022/23, up £27.6million to £169.3million compared to £141.7million in 2021/22.
“Last season we pushed ourselves far, breaking records across both our teams, bringing in new partners, and bolstering our commercial team. All of us remain focused on building on this progress,” said Slot.
“Omar and our commercial team are essential for this. In his new role, he will lead in deepening our relationships with all our partners, unlocking new opportunities to generate revenue that can be reinvested in our teams, and accelerating our growth internationally to connect with our supporters around the world.”
Shaikh’s promotion is the second to be announced by the Gunners this year after Richard Garlick was promoted to the position of managing director ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Commenting on his promotion to a new role at the Emirates Stadium on LinkedIn, Shaikh said: “I’ve been at the Gunners for almost a year, which has been more than enough time to know that we’re building something special here. Everyone in and around the club can feel it.
“There’s always more progress to be made, and I can’t wait to continue on this journey in a new role, supported by our world-class team here at Arsenal.”
