John Stephenson, the chief executive of Essex, has resigned after three years in the position, reportedly as a cost-saving measure due to the escalating financial crisis faced by counties that do not host Test matches.
Stephenson, who amassed over 10,000 first-class runs for Essex from 1985 to 2004, returned to the club as chief executive in 2021 after spending 17 years at MCC. He has now left the role to "pursue other projects," with day-to-day operations now managed by Dan Feist, the former operations manager, who has been promoted to general manager in a club hierarchy restructure.
Stephenson's tenure at Chelmsford was marked by significant challenges, including multiple racism scandals. One notable incident involved an alleged racist comment by then-chairman John Faragher at a 2017 board meeting, a charge Faragher denies but for which the club was fined £50,000 by the Cricket Discipline Commission.
Last month, the club faced new charges from the Cricket Regulator, the sport's independent disciplinary body, following an independent report by Katherine Newton KC that upheld several historical allegations of racist abuse.
Despite these challenges, Stephenson is said to have impressed the ECB with his leadership, and Essex was awarded one of eight initial Tier 1 women's teams from 2025 onwards. This opportunity, which Stephenson believed would "future-proof" the club, included plans for redeveloping their home ground at Chelmsford.
However, the financial burden of the racism scandals, including the costs of the Newton Report and a financial review, led to the decision that the club could no longer afford a traditional CEO. Stephenson has resigned effective immediately but will remain on the board until the end of the season.
Stephenson reflected on his decision, stating, "This has been a difficult decision as Essex has been a part of my life since 1984. I am proud of what I achieved here and have loved my time as chief executive, particularly working with our talented board and dedicated staff. We have seen success on the field, and I believe there is more to come."
Essex chairman Anu Mohindru praised Stephenson's leadership, saying, "He has shown outstanding leadership over the past three years, and we are very sad to see him step down, though we respect his reasons. These have been challenging times, but John tackled the allegations head-on, demonstrating resolve, wisdom, fairness, and integrity."
Under Stephenson's leadership, Essex secured a women's Tier 1 team and developed a vision and master plan for a new ground, leaving the county in a stronger position for the future.
Essex has been a prominent team in the County Championship, winning two Division One titles in 2017 and 2019, and the Bob Willis Trophy in the Covid-impacted 2020 season. This season, they are third in Division One, but recently suffered a significant defeat to leaders Surrey at the Kia Oval.