China-based Suning Commerce Group – the new owner of Inter Milan – is already stamping their mark on the Italian Serie A football club’s boardroom.
TheStadiumBusiness.com understands that British executive Michael Bolingbroke – who was recruited from English Premier League club Manchester United to lead Inter – has stepped down as CEO, little more than two years in the role.
Sources close to the club said that “Suning had their own guy they wanted to put into the CEO role”.
In June, the Chinese electronics retailer purchased nearly 70 per cent of Inter for €270m (£232m/$307m) in the highest-profile takeover so far of a European club by a Chinese firm.
Suning, part-owned by e-commerce giant Alibaba, sees Inter as a springboard towards creating a global sports empire stretching from football clubs to online media.
Suning, a household name in China, already owns domestic club Jiangsu Suning, currently third in the Chinese Super League, but Inter was its first major overseas purchase.
During his tenure Bolingbroke raised matchday revenues, oversaw the new ownership structure and recruited a senior management team of experienced sports and entertainment executives, including several key hires from United, his previous club. Industry observers will be watching Suning’s next steps closely as it leverages its highest profile sports investment to date.
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