Keith Wyness
Encyclopedia
Keith Wyness is a Scottish businessman, who was chief executive officer
of Scottish Premier League
club Aberdeen
and then Premier League club Everton
during the 2000s.
Prior to entering the football industry, his employers included British Airways
, Radisson
and the Olympic Club. Wyness was appointed as press officer for British Airways
in 1978, where he was responsible for marketing Concorde
. He was also instrumental in the setting up of the "Executive Club", now the world's largest frequent flyer programme.
Wyness moved to Miami in 1988 and co-founded Radisson Diamond. He was heavily involved with marketing for the cruise lines and was later involved with attempted and aborted takeover of Cunard
. He was then the founder and later the managing director of The Olympic Club, a worldwide marketing programme set up to promote every Olympic sport, and aided the marketing of the sports involved in the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.
He appeared on the Nottingham University team for University Challenge.
. He became famous for several quotes regarding the behaviour of the Old Firm
of Rangers
and Celtic
, who were looking to move to another league. A quote which was listed as Scottish Sports quote of the year was:
Despite the Scottish Premier League
's television rights deal with Sky Sports
ending soon after he arrived, Wyness was able to reduce the losses sustained by the club and when he left the club was close to operational breakeven. He introduced radical new player contracts with lower basic wages but big bonuses for points, attendance even merchandise sales, attracting media attention throughout Europe. Wyness left Aberdeen in 2004 to take a similar position at Everton
. This appointment caused some controversy as he had been linked to the vacant position at Everton before he left Aberdeen.
was met with a mixed response from fans as opinion remains divided on his outsourcing preferences and pursuit of the stadium build in Kirkby
. He was criticised by shareholders for pursuing Everton's relocation whilst an active director of Soccer Range Stadia - a stadium management company he set up. However the fans were completely wrong as the company had absolutely nothing to do with stadium management and was in fact a very clever leisure use for football and he had offered Everton a chance to participate in the revenue streams that would have come from this concept.
Wyness outsourced in-house operations to reduce the short-term cost. The club's catering arrangements were outsourced to Sodexo UK , the club shops were outsourced to sports retailers JJB Sports
, who later filed for administration. The JJB deal drastically improved upon the £1.5million loss the club were making on merchandising alone into a profit of £800k.He also was responsible for negotiating the new Kitbag deal which is now in place which has taken club sales to £10m. The savings were also significant in terms of staff time and it was soon recognised that the club was not equipped to handle a retial operation.
The club's land assets such as the Eileen Craven site on Walton Lane, Liverpool were sold and developed into housing areas to help the club maintain trading without selling players. For one year Everton were in the top 20 as per the Deloittes table of clubs and according to their criteria. They moved out of that list the next year after the merchandise and catering operations were outsourced and could no longer be included in turnover.
The former training ground Bellefield
was also earmarked to become a housing development by Wyness, however plans were later rejected by the Planning Inspectorate. It was felt by the club that this was a highly political decision by the local council linked to the potential move to Kirkby. Wyness was the main power behind the development of Finch Farm
,he sourced the finance and the design for Everton's new training facility, which opened in November 2007. He arranged for Everton to purchase the training facility and sell it on to a third party company and lease it back. It is considered one of the top training facilities in the Premiership.
He was responsible for coordinating the acquisition of the David France artefacts which together with a donation from the club's collection formed The Everton Collection
, regarded as "most important football memorabilia collection in the world" by renown auctioneers Sothebys. A Charitable Trust was established which attracted National Lottery funding, meaning that Everton did not have to pay for the maintenance of the memorabilia. The collection is held at the Liverpool Records Office.
The relocation of the club to Kirkby was a very contentious issue. Although the Board all agreed he was left to be the only Director to face the fans and argue the case in public. It was recognised that staying in the city was the preferred option but no deliverable option could be found despite many attempts.
Wyness was also an advocate of Game 39
.
There were many media comments that his departure was linked to the dysfunctional nature of the Board and the actions of Sir philip Green who was interfering in the running of the club.
In May 2009, he wrote to the Liverpool Daily Post newspaper lambasting Liverpool City Council's decision to spend £265k fighting the Kirkby Project. in the Premier League and within clubs have s
Many in the Premier League and within clubs have said he was the best CEO of his era and were disappointed to see him go.
In his five years the average position of Everton was 6th and the turnover had doubled to approx £80m. In real terms Everton (with their resources) should have been 10/12th.
Previous
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
and then Premier League club Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
during the 2000s.
Early years
Wyness had an international career with airlines and cruise lines before the Olympics.Prior to entering the football industry, his employers included British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
, Radisson
Radisson Hotels
Radisson Hotels is one of the leading, full-service global hotel companies with more than 420 locations in 73 countries. The first Radisson Hotel was built in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1909, and was named after the 17th-century French explorer Pierre-Esprit Radisson...
and the Olympic Club. Wyness was appointed as press officer for British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
in 1978, where he was responsible for marketing Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
. He was also instrumental in the setting up of the "Executive Club", now the world's largest frequent flyer programme.
Wyness moved to Miami in 1988 and co-founded Radisson Diamond. He was heavily involved with marketing for the cruise lines and was later involved with attempted and aborted takeover of Cunard
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
. He was then the founder and later the managing director of The Olympic Club, a worldwide marketing programme set up to promote every Olympic sport, and aided the marketing of the sports involved in the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.
He appeared on the Nottingham University team for University Challenge.
Aberdeen
On 22 October 2000, Wyness moved back to his hometown of Aberdeen, as he was appointed chief executive of AberdeenAberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
. He became famous for several quotes regarding the behaviour of the Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
of Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
, who were looking to move to another league. A quote which was listed as Scottish Sports quote of the year was:
Despite the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
's television rights deal with Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
ending soon after he arrived, Wyness was able to reduce the losses sustained by the club and when he left the club was close to operational breakeven. He introduced radical new player contracts with lower basic wages but big bonuses for points, attendance even merchandise sales, attracting media attention throughout Europe. Wyness left Aberdeen in 2004 to take a similar position at Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. This appointment caused some controversy as he had been linked to the vacant position at Everton before he left Aberdeen.
Everton
Wyness' tenure at EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
was met with a mixed response from fans as opinion remains divided on his outsourcing preferences and pursuit of the stadium build in Kirkby
Everton Kirkby Project
The Kirkby Project was a proposed new football stadium in Kirkby, England for . The plan originated in 2006, was the subject of a Public Inquiry in December 2008, but was eventually rejected by central government in November 2009...
. He was criticised by shareholders for pursuing Everton's relocation whilst an active director of Soccer Range Stadia - a stadium management company he set up. However the fans were completely wrong as the company had absolutely nothing to do with stadium management and was in fact a very clever leisure use for football and he had offered Everton a chance to participate in the revenue streams that would have come from this concept.
Wyness outsourced in-house operations to reduce the short-term cost. The club's catering arrangements were outsourced to Sodexo UK , the club shops were outsourced to sports retailers JJB Sports
JJB Sports
JJB Sports plc is a United Kingdom sports retailer. It currently operates 251 stores in the UK and Ireland.- History :The sportshop chain was founded in 1971, when ex-footballer Dave Whelan acquired a single sports shop in Wigan. The original store was established by JJ Broughton in the early...
, who later filed for administration. The JJB deal drastically improved upon the £1.5million loss the club were making on merchandising alone into a profit of £800k.He also was responsible for negotiating the new Kitbag deal which is now in place which has taken club sales to £10m. The savings were also significant in terms of staff time and it was soon recognised that the club was not equipped to handle a retial operation.
The club's land assets such as the Eileen Craven site on Walton Lane, Liverpool were sold and developed into housing areas to help the club maintain trading without selling players. For one year Everton were in the top 20 as per the Deloittes table of clubs and according to their criteria. They moved out of that list the next year after the merchandise and catering operations were outsourced and could no longer be included in turnover.
The former training ground Bellefield
Bellefield
Bellefield, in West Derby, Liverpool, is Everton FC's former training ground.Bellefield had been Everton FC's training ground since 1946. It was purchased in 1965 from landowner Mr Tyson and Everton developed it so it was ready by summer of 1966...
was also earmarked to become a housing development by Wyness, however plans were later rejected by the Planning Inspectorate. It was felt by the club that this was a highly political decision by the local council linked to the potential move to Kirkby. Wyness was the main power behind the development of Finch Farm
Finch Farm
Finch Farm is the training ground for Everton F.C., in the Liverpool suburb of Halewood.The School of Science is the nickname given to the complex by some supporters, referring to a long-standing nickname for the club. The training ground houses both the Everton first team and the youth academy...
,he sourced the finance and the design for Everton's new training facility, which opened in November 2007. He arranged for Everton to purchase the training facility and sell it on to a third party company and lease it back. It is considered one of the top training facilities in the Premiership.
He was responsible for coordinating the acquisition of the David France artefacts which together with a donation from the club's collection formed The Everton Collection
The Everton Collection
The David France Collection is a collection of football memorabilia, consisting of more than 10,000 items related to the birth and development of Everton Football Club in Liverpool, England.- Overview :...
, regarded as "most important football memorabilia collection in the world" by renown auctioneers Sothebys. A Charitable Trust was established which attracted National Lottery funding, meaning that Everton did not have to pay for the maintenance of the memorabilia. The collection is held at the Liverpool Records Office.
The relocation of the club to Kirkby was a very contentious issue. Although the Board all agreed he was left to be the only Director to face the fans and argue the case in public. It was recognised that staying in the city was the preferred option but no deliverable option could be found despite many attempts.
Wyness was also an advocate of Game 39
Game 39
"Game 39" or the international round is a proposed extra round of matches in the Premier League to be played at neutral venues outside England. The top football league in England, the Premier League is currently played on a double round robin basis, with each team playing the other 19 home and...
.
There were many media comments that his departure was linked to the dysfunctional nature of the Board and the actions of Sir philip Green who was interfering in the running of the club.
In May 2009, he wrote to the Liverpool Daily Post newspaper lambasting Liverpool City Council's decision to spend £265k fighting the Kirkby Project. in the Premier League and within clubs have s
Many in the Premier League and within clubs have said he was the best CEO of his era and were disappointed to see him go.
In his five years the average position of Everton was 6th and the turnover had doubled to approx £80m. In real terms Everton (with their resources) should have been 10/12th.
Known Directorships
Current- Soccer Range Stadia Limited
- Scottish Exhibition Centre Limited
Previous
- Aberdeen Football Club Plc
- The Scottish Premier League Limited
- Everton Investments Limited
- Goodison Park Stadium Limited
- Everton Football Club Company, Limited
- Premier League (England)
- Aberdeen Broadcasting Company Limited
- Original Liverpool FM Limited