Peter Kenyon

Peter Kenyon (born 1954 in Stalybridge, Cheshire) is a British businessman who has served as the chief executive of English Premier League clubs Manchester United Football Club and Chelsea Football Club, where he has been involved in contentious transfer dealings.

Kenyon was educated in Tameside at West Hill School and The King's School, Macclesfield.

Kenyon was a director and chief executive of sportswear firm Umbro.

Kenyon took up the role of deputy chief executive at his boyhood team Manchester United in 1997, where he sat on the Board of Directors. He was promoted to chief executive in August 2000 following the departure of Martin Edwards. Kenyon was influential in persuading long-serving manager Alex Ferguson to remain at the club despite Ferguson's original intention to retire in 2002. One of the other notable aspects of Kenyon's time in charge was the fact that the club dismissed their rigid wage structure and spent large sums of money on players such as Juan Sebastian Veron and Rio Ferdinand. During his time in his role, the club actually became one of the most financially stable, while simultaneously expanding their global appeal.

Kenyon's move to Chelsea was seen as controversial as he had previously proclaimed himself as a lifelong Manchester United supporter.

Since joining Chelsea, Kenyon has been involved in high-profile controversies including an attempt to persuade the manager of the England national team Sven-Göran Eriksson to become manager of Chelsea, and the tapping-up of former Arsenal and England left-back Ashley Cole.

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