Jim Gillespie has officially started his role as Rangers chief executive officer. The Rangers Review revealed that Gillespie had been chosen to succeed Patrick Stewart following his sacking in November.
This article was first published in January. Here is why Gillespie has been appointed and what he will bring to Ibrox as he works closely with Fraser Thornton and the executive team while chairman Andrew Cavenagh takes a more hands-on approach.
Andrew Cavenagh started his search for a chief executive knowing what he wanted but not who he wanted. The candidates who only ticked some of the boxes had their names crossed off his list. When one remained, it was a case of back to the future in some regards.
The Rangers Review revealed last week that Jim Gillespie, the St Mirren vice-chairman, was the leading candidate to become the new CEO at Ibrox. On Sunday, we reported that it was a done deal. On Monday, Gillespie’s appointment was confirmed and he will get down to business once he has worked through his notice period with Kibble, the children's charity and social enterprise that provides specialist care, education, and support for young people. No firm date has been put on that yet and his affinity with Kibble means he will not depart until a proper handover of power can take place.
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Events of recent days have moved relatively quickly, but Gillespie’s switch from St Mirren to Rangers has been a long time in the making. In September 2024, he withdrew from the process to succeed James Bisgrove just before the I’s were dotted at the T’s were crossed on his contract. Now the timing is right personally and professionally for Gillespie and he assumes the role that Patrick Stewart vacated when he was sacked by Cavenagh in November.
“We spoke to an exceptional group of candidates across Scotland and Europe, and Jim consistently stood out for his understanding of what Rangers stands for and the standards this club demands,” Cavenagh said in a statement on the club website yesterday afternoon.
“He impressed us with his ability to lead people, connect with the club and its supporters, and operate at a very high-level day to day. Jim is a proven leader, and we are confident he will be an outstanding Chief Executive for Rangers.”
Even before Cavenagh made the decision to remove Stewart from office, he knew what he was looking for in a CEO. First and foremost, his man had to ‘get it’ at Ibrox. That phrase is so often used when speaking about the recruitment of players, but it is just as important when it comes to the hiring of staff.
If you are leading the club on a day-to-day basis, you have to understand its people, its ethos and its DNA. It is almost emotional, a connection that those who do not have it do not really understand. That was the first tick beside Gillespie’s name.
Cavenagh was not wedded to the idea that the next CEO had to be from the west of Scotland or born into a Rangers family. Indeed, his last appointment is evidence that you do not need to bleed blue to understand Rangers and the comparison between Danny Rohl and Russell Martin makes that point perfectly.
Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe, the vice-chairman, sought several character references from those who either work with Gillespie or have worked for him to gain an understanding of the man and the businessman. His interview process also included time with other members of the board and external partners, while staff were asked to collate a folio of Gillespie’s interviews to ensure what he said in public matched what he said behind the scenes. Both indicated how Gillespie will engage with the Rangers support.
Cavenagh sought a figure the fans could relate to. Someone who, like them, was direct, passionate, transparent and hard-working. Around ten candidates, ranging from local hopefuls to potential hires from across the continent, were spoken to at length, but none struck the chord that Gillespie did.
Gillespie's role with St Mirren is the most obvious starting point when it comes to assessing his suitability for the position. Yet it is the rise of Kibble, even away from the partnership with the Buddies and the move to a fan ownership model, that is more reflective of the intellect and intuition that he will bring to Rangers.
He has grown Kibble from a £20million enterprise to a £50million one. Unlike previous incumbents, Gillespie is not moving upwards from a lesser executive berth to the most prominent one. Instead, he is time served. As one source told the Rangers Review, he is a 'sleeves-up CEO' and a 'streetwise' operator, one who has grown Kibble to an organisation of almost 1,000 employees.
A decade ago, Kibble held £4.1 million in cash reserves and had a bank loan of around £3.5 million. In 2025, it had reserves of £16million and there has been no bank borrowing facility for three years. Talk about leaving a business in a better place that you found it.
Gillespie forged a culture of shared decision making, ensuring that every voice is heard. As previously outlined by the Rangers Review, that is an approach that Marathe has used at the San Francisco 49ers, where he believes it is the best idea that wins, regardless of where or who it has come from.
He demands strong governance and an ambitious mindset from those around him and holds himself to his words and his actions. He is straight-talking and will waste no time in looking under the bonnet to see what he is working with across all departments.
Clarity of vision and messaging is important to Gillespie. He will be accountable and comfortable in public, too. The message in his first words as a Rangers employee represent his ethos.
“Rangers Football Club is a historic institution, and it’s an honour to be asked to contribute to its leadership,” Gillespie said. “I’m thankful to the owners and the Board for their confidence, and I look forward to working closely with them, the staff and all those associated with Rangers.
"The focus now is on delivery: rolling up our sleeves, setting clear standards and ensuring the organisation is aligned behind sustainable success on the pitch.”
First contact was made on a call before a meeting in London. Gillespie’s previous discussions with the club naturally formed part of the conversations but was never seen as an issue for either party.
When you consider the situation that Rangers were in then compared to the one they are in now, it is clear why Gillespie views the opportunity and the offer in a different light. There is structure and there is stability, a more defined route forward.
Gillespie will be asked to lead from the front but not lead on his own, be empowered to set standards and directions but not left to navigate a path of his own choosing. This is where point two comes in.
Gillespie must take people with him, must be able to stand at the front of the room and provide clear messaging that allows those around him and under him to operate at their full potential. That leadership should also be shown in discussions with the Scottish FA, SPFL and UEFA, as well as in front of the cameras. Cavenagh was not looking for a salesman with a smooth pitch, but he wanted an operator who buys into what Rangers are and what Rangers could become.
The third aspect is almost self-explanatory. As one source puts it to the Rangers Review, you must be able to make the trains run on time. In essence, you must back up your words with actions and outcomes.
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The arrival of Gillespie officially fills the vacancy that has been open since late November. The role and the responsibilities have come under the remit of Fraser Thornton since Stewart’s departure and it is understood that the board are both impressed by and grateful for his efforts as interim CEO. To that end, Thornton will assume an executive position once Gillespie starts at Ibrox and he will be one of three board members, alongside Cavenagh and Marathe, to have outsized roles going forward.
Thornton has the advantage of being Glasgow-based and his input on the ground has been invaluable following the change of ownership in May. Cavenagh travels from Philadelphia more than Marathe, the chairman of Leeds United, does from San Francisco, but neither could be accused of being absentee landlords and their hands-on approach of recent months will continue going forward.
“Jim brings the leadership, judgement, and operational capability we were looking for at this stage for the club,” Marathe said.
“This club already has a strong and aligned leadership group, and Jim is joining it as an important addition. We are delighted to welcome Jim and look forward to working closely with him as we move Rangers forward together.”
Gillespie will not be given a laptop and told to get on with it. He will add to the structure that is there and be responsible for delivering on the blueprint that Cavenagh and his investors have already put in place. Gillespie will be given clear sign-off lines and naturally his business acumen will be as important as his football understanding.
So, how will he be judged? Unlike life in Paisley, nothing is black and white at Ibrox. It is not as simple as life is great when the first team wins or is terrible when Rohl’s side lose. Yet there is an acknowledgement now from those new to Glasgow just how much the on-field fortunes shape moods and narratives.
The vision for Rangers has evolved, the direction six months on from the takeover is different from what it was on day one, but sustained winning while winning sustainability remains at the heart of the American dream. That feeds into the DNA. And that means titles and trophies. From the top down, every decision on every day must be focused on driving Rangers to silverware successes.
The role of the CEO will be to allow supporters to reconnect with the club hierarchy, to see themselves in how Rangers work and communicate. Cavenagh and Co. have been through a deep learning process themselves and can now back Gillespie to hit the ground running.
By the time Gillespie gets his feet under the desk, the Premiership picture will have become even clearer. Could he have a title win to celebrate just months after he saw St Mirren lift the League Cup at Hampden? John Needham, the St Mirren chairman, thanked Gillespie for his ‘his vision, his drive and his counsel’ and picked out that victory as the pinnacle of Gillespie’s six year association with the Buddies.
Rohl is getting Rangers motoring from a football perspective. He is supported from the boardroom by Cavenagh and Marathe and from the executive offices by Thornton. Dan Purdy, the technical director, consultant Stig Inge Bjørnebye and Gretar Steinsson, the 49ers technical director, all have a voice at present and that structure will not be added to in the coming weeks.
Indeed, it could be closer to the spring by the time the search for Kevin Thelwell’s replacement as sporting director really ramps up. An appointment mid-window makes no sense and there is no feeling of time pressure, especially given the importance of getting the right man in the door. The remit could also change to give the successful candidate a different scope rather than be the ultimate point of contact across several areas of the football department.
Again, it will be designed to direct as much time, money and effort as possible into the success of the first team. Out of all the boxes that need to be ticked, that will always be the most important one.
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