Departing Arsenal chief 'embarrassed' with OBE in New Year's Honours List
Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham was “surprised and embarrassed” to be named in the New Year’s Honours List.
Venkatesham has been given an OBE for services to sport, having also been part of the commercial team for the London Olympics in 2012 and served as a non-executive director for the British Olympic Association and 2017 Worth Athletics Championships in London.
It has already been confirmed he will leave Arsenal at the end of the season but he will depart having overseen a huge turnaround in the club’s fortunes and has been a champion and big supporter of the women’s game.
Venkatesham, who joined Arsenal in 2010, is highly-respected by the club’s fanbase for his willingness to engage with supporters, which has been a key part in the club’s improvement both on and off the pitch.
Venkatesham said: “It was certainly a surprise when I opened the letter. Nothing I was expecting, nothing I was anticipating, so a really, really wonderful surprise and I’m very proud and very privileged.
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“Everything I have been part of, whether it was the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, the World Athletics Championships here in London in 2017, being able to be part of Arsenal, has been about being part of a great team.
“So I must admit I sometimes feel a little embarrassed to be talking about myself when everyone is part of the team, but it’s obviously a really special moment for me and a really special moment for my family, who have been unbelievably supportive for the almost 20 years I have been in sport, through the highs, the lows, the long hours, everyone has been there for me.
Venkatesham will leave Arsenal at the end of the season (2023 The Arsenal Football Club Plc)“I’ve had fantastic colleagues and fantastic team-mates along the way, at all of the places I have been fortunate enough to work. You mention women’s sport as well, another area where there has been fantastic collaboration and a really exciting new dawn for women’s football with NewCo being set up. I have been really proud and honoured and privileged to be part of that as well.
“The message to the Arsenal fans is that we are fortunate enough to be part of this wonderful football club that is Arsenal. There are a number of people along the way at Arsenal, both on the men’s side and women’s side, who have been fortunate enough to receive honours for their work at this football club.
“This football club is always about looking forward. We have talked about some of the things that have happened in the past but we have an exciting season still to go and I can’t wait to get started on the second half of the season.”
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