Majority shareholder Tom Scott has been appointed as the new Leicester Football Club plc Chairman after thirteen years of service on the Board as a Non-Executive Director.
Peter Tom has been appointed to the role of President, while former Leicester Tigers player Leon Lloyd has joined the Board.
Since joining the Board in October 2011, Tom Scott has provided substantial investment into the club and - as recently as February 2023 - injected a further £10 million of investment. He has, in the past season, taken over from Peter Tom as the club’s representative on the PRL Investor Board and on Professional Game matters.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Tom Scott is involved in a number of Channel Islands and UK businesses and has been a director of several listed companies throughout his professional career.
He is currently the Chairman of Sealyham Investments Limited with interests in property development, sport, and corporate finance investment.
Speaking about his appointment, Tom Scott said: “Almost immediately from my introduction to the club, recognising the significance of it to so many people and also its prominence in not only rugby and sport but the Leicestershire and Midlands communities, I have held a great passion for Leicester Tigers and was very proud to be invited to join the Board of Directors in 2011.”
“We have certainly seen a lot of change in the game during my time, which has included many challenges but even more successes for the club, and it is a great privilege for me to be appointed to the role of Chairman. I have one goal in mind, that has remained the same throughout my time as part of this club, and that is to continue to ensure it can be successful and sustainable long into the future.”
Peter Tom, who has been Chairman for 33 years and involved with Leicester Tigers for more than 61 years after first debuting as a player in September 1963, will remain on the Board as a Non-Executive Director and has been appointed to the role of President.
The appointment is the first to the role of President in more than a decade, since Paul Dodge in 2013, and sees Peter Tom become only the 40th President in the club’s history.
He joins the likes of David Matthews, Peter Wheeler, Tudor Thomas, Garry Adey and Dodge, among many more legends, to have held the position.
After representing the club on 130 occasions as a player, Peter Tom remained involved in various roles after his last game in 1968 and, while a member of the Forward Planning Committee, was appointed Chairman in 1992. He helped lead the club into professionalism in 1995, listing as a public company in 1997 and overseen the most decorated on-field success of any English team in the modern era.
Speaking about the changes, Peter Tom said: “It is hard to explain but there is something special about Leicester Tigers in the way the place gets a grip of you; it is all encompassing, in a great way, and plays a part in your life. It has always felt more than just a job.”
“I am incredibly honoured to have been Chairman of this club and for so long. It has always been about playing the role of custodian to me, ensuring this club continues long into the future for the people that Leicester Tigers means so much to.
“Remaining on the Board means I continue in that capacity, working with Tom Scott and all of my fellow Directors, helping to take Leicester Tigers into the future and now includes the great privilege that comes with being President of the club as well.
“It is quite the illustrious list of names I am joining who have come before me as President and I certainly don’t take for granted what it means to be afforded this opportunity.”
Speaking about Peter Tom, incoming Chairman Tom Scott added: “It was Peter Tom who first introduced me to the business side of the organisation back in 2010, looking for investment in the club and the expansion of Mattioli Woods Welford Road.”
“Peter, for more than thirty years, has been an excellent Chairman and I am so pleased that we will not be losing his leadership and input with him continuing on as a member of the Board and, rightfully so, being recognised as a leader of the club with his appointment to the role of President.”
The Board has also welcomed a new member with the appointment of former player Leon Lloyd as a Non-Executive Director.
Lloyd made 260 appearances for the club in eleven seasons, which also included eleven trophies and, most memorably, starring roles in the back-to-back European victories of 2001 and 2002. He was also capped by England on five occasions.
He retired from playing in 2008 and has gone on to achieve a MBA and PhD qualifications in Leadership and Change management and worked with global organisations that includes the Premier League, UK Special Forces, Microsoft, AMEX and many more.
Lloyd was a Co-Founder of the Switch the Play Foundation, the first in its kind to assist professional sports people in their transition away from competing into the next stages of their professional careers and acted as the Foundation’s CEO up until 2021.
He remains an Ambassador of Switch the Play Foundation as well as an Ambassador and Business Mentor for the Princes Trust, since 2004, and a Patron for Action Deafness. Lloyd was also a driving force behind the amalgamation of former player groups into The Sabretooths, which serves as an alumni organisation for those to have represented the club on the field and help to raise important funds off it for deserving individuals and organisations connected to the club.
On his appointment to the Board, Leon Lloyd said: “When I retired from the game, at only 30, I felt like I definitely had more to give and that led to me falling out of love with rugby for a long time. But it was my ex-teammates at Leicester Tigers who brought me back to the game and helped me to see I could still add something to rugby and to the club.”
“When I was approached about joining, the first thing I thought about was what I would add to the current Board of Directors and where I can add value to help the club. For me, what I believe I bring is a different kind of rugby knowledge, certainly understanding the players perspective, and valuable experience in corporate governance over a number of years now through my business and academic work.
“Additionally, I know that I will check, challenge and support my colleagues on the Board and throughout the club to help continue to improve Leicester Tigers.”
Speaking about Leon Lloyd, incoming Chairman Tom Scott added: “It is pleasing to be able to add someone of Leon’s experience, knowledge and character on to the Board and I am certain our supporters and shareholders share my sentiment.”
“His career as a player speaks for itself; everybody remembers the great things he did for Leicester Tigers.
“That commitment he had as a player is matched as not only a supporter of the organisation now but also as someone who wants to see Leicester Tigers add to the success we have achieved in the past. He will challenge us to be better and we welcome that challenge throughout all of the club.
“Leon has gained a great wealth of knowledge through his education since finishing as a player and wonderful experience in important areas that include professional sportspeople transitioning into new careers, leadership, mental health and, with his great empathy for people, will be able to help drive those key areas forward in the future of the club.”
On the changes to the Board, Chief Executive Officer Andrea Pinchen said: “This is an exciting day for the club, our supporters, shareholders and Leicester Tigers community as a whole. It is a milestone moment for the organisation.”
“Tom Scott’s dedication to Leicester Tigers and the long-term success on and off the field is remarkable and I am looking forward to continuing our strong working relationship with him in situ as Chairman.
“Meanwhile, we welcome back the important role of President after more than ten years and I could not think of a more deserving person to lead us in that capacity than Peter Tom. He arrived at the club in his early 20s and, for more than 60 years, has remained a part of Leicester Tigers, including more than half of that as Chairman. It is unrivalled in our game and I thank him for all he has helped guide us through and know that he will continue to guide us through in this new role.”
“Together with the changes to Tom and Peter’s roles, we welcome new input to our Board from Leon Lloyd. To have someone of Leon’s rugby, business and leadership knowledge and experience join us is inspiring for our future. I am excited for what Leon will bring in all those of those guises, as well as the role he can play in mentoring our current players and connecting The Sabretooths to the club of today.”
Tom Scott, Peter Tom, Leon Lloyd and Andrea Pinchen are joined by Finance Director Fintan Kennedy and Non-Executive Director Petar Cvetkovic on the Leicester Football Club plc Board of Directors.
