Newcastle United has appointed Canadian David Hopkinson as chief executive officer, replacing Darren Eales. Eales stepped down for health reasons after revealing he had been diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer.
“This club represents something truly special,” Hopkinson said. “It has extraordinary history and heritage, incredibly passionate supporters, and ownership, players, and staff committed to excellence.”
Hopkinson added, “Having worked with iconic teams across different countries, I understand what it takes to build sustainable success at the highest levels of global sport. I greatly admire what has been achieved by the club so far, and I am excited to help position Newcastle United among the world’s elite clubs.”
Hopkinson joins Newcastle after serving as President and Chief Operating Officer at Madison Square Garden Sports, overseeing the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. He was also previously Global Head of Partnerships at Real Madrid and spent over two decades at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., managing commercial operations for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors.
Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan described Hopkinson as an “outstanding executive” whose experience will be invaluable for building the club’s presence locally and globally.
In 2021, a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund became majority owners of Newcastle. Last season, the club ended a 56-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup against Liverpool.
