Todd Boehly vows to change Chelsea’s culture after bullying allegations

Todd Boehly has responded to allegations of a toxic environment in Chelsea’s marketing team by promising all employees there will be sweeping changes to the club’s culture.

Chelsea’s co-owner has sent a letter to staff saying there will be a zero-tolerance approach to bullying after it emerged that Richard Bignell, a former head of the club’s television channel, had taken his own life in January and that a coroner’s report found he had been “deeply troubled by anxiety, depression and despair following the loss of his job”.

The New York Times reported that Bignell, who worked at Chelsea for 18 years, was sacked last September a day after returning to work following more than a year of medical leave. The paper said the club’s previous ownership hired an outside firm to conduct a cultural review of their marketing department in March, but claimed it was to be jointly overseen by an executive accused of being to blame for the worst of its problems.

The New York Times said it had spoken to about a dozen people who had worked at Chelsea with Bignell, a number of whom said he had struggled to deal with the executive’s aggressive management style. Other staff were said to have been signed off on medical leave and at least 10 employees resigned.

One employee was said to have left over fears over their mental health and wrote to Chelsea’s then chairman, Bruce Buck, to that effect. Other staff were reported to have expressed similar concerns to club executives or in exit interviews with human resources staff.

The allegations have shocked the club’s owners, who completed their takeover at the end of May, and Boehly has moved to assure staff that the matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness. Boehly, who fronted a