In an effort to costs, John Stephenson resigns as Essex’s chief executive

In what is believed to be a cost-cutting move reflecting the worsening financial problems among non-Test-hosting counties, Essex CEO John Stephenson announced his resignation after just three years in office.

John Stephenson spent the 17 years that followed at MCC before returning to Essex as chief executive in 2021. Stephenson amassed almost 10,000 first-class runs for Essex between 1985 and 2004.

But now that he has resigned to “pursue other projects,” Dan Feist, the former operations manager of Essex, has taken over as general manager of the team as part of a reorganisation of the club’s leadership.

During Stephenson’s tenure at Chelmsford, the club was involved in several racist scandals, including one in which John Faragher, the then-chairman, was accused of making a racist remark during a board meeting in 2017. Faragher refutes the allegations, but the club was still fined £50,000 by the Cricket Discipline Commission as a result.

The Cricket Regulator, the new independent disciplinary authority for the sport, charged the club once more last month after a number of previous reports of racist abuse were confirmed by an independent report last year led by Katherine Newton KC.

Stephenson is said to have impressed the ECB by leading the team’s response to the scandals. As a result, Essex was rewarded earlier this year with a successful bid to host one of the eight first Tier 1 women’s teams starting in 2025. Stephenson hoped that this opportunity would “future-proof” the club, including by redeveloping their home ground in Chelmsford.

The club may not be able to afford a traditional CEO moving forward, though, given the financial costs associated with the racism incident, which included the Newton Report’s commissioning and an examination of the club’s finances. Although Stephenson has resigned, he will stay on the board until the end of the current campaign.

“This has been a difficult decision to make as Essex has been in my bloodstream since the day I walked through the doors at Chelmsford in 1984,” added Stephenson.

“I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished here. I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure as chief executive, especially collaborating with our close-knit group of skilled and committed employees and our diverse and brilliant board.

“We have enjoyed success on the pitch and I am certain there is more to come.”

“We are extremely sad to see Stephenson step down, but we respect his reasons,” said Essex chairman Anu Mohindru in response to Stephenson’s resignation. “He has shown outstanding leadership in guiding Essex through the last three years.”

“The club has had to deal with past accusations of racism during these trying times, but having John as CEO has been a huge blessing. In taking on the accusations head-on, he showed determination, discernment, justice, and honesty.

“We have succeeded in acquiring a women’s tier one squad and creating a well-defined vision and master plan for a new ground throughout his tenure. He takes this county with him, stronger and far more prepared to create for the future.”

Essex has emerged as one of the most impressive teams in the County Championship in recent years, winning two Division One crowns in 2017 and 2019, in addition to winning the Bob Willis Trophy in the 2020 season that was affected by Covid. Currently sitting third in Division One, they lost badly to leaders Surrey in their most recent game played at the Kia Oval.