Mark Kelly is stepping down as Chair of Ashton Gate Stadium and CEO of AG Sporting Quarter after almost 14 years with the sporting group.
Ashton Gate said Kelly who joined the sporting group at its inception, oversaw the £50 million redevelopment of the stadium alongside Martin Griffiths, and helped transform it into the internationally recognised and multi-use venue that it is today.
Initially recruited as Managing Director of Ashton Gate, over the last decade Kelly has held multiple roles across a diverse portfolio within the Lansdown Family’s interests, including: CEO of Bristol Sport, CEO of Ashton Gate, Managing Director of Mashatu Investments (Durban, South Africa), Director of Global Property Investments for Pula and, more recently, Chairman of Ashton Gate and CEO of the Sporting Quarter.
The 27,000-capacity Ashton Gate Stadium is a multiuse stadium in Ashton Gate, Bristol, England (UK) and is the home of the Bristol City F.C. and the Bristol Bears rugby union team.
Bristol City Football Club is a professional football club based in Bristol, England (UK). The team competes in the English Football League (EFL) Championship, the second level of the English football league system. The Ashton Gate Stadium serves as their home ground.
Bristol Bears are a professional rugby union club based in Bristol, England (UK). They play in Premiership Rugby, England’s top division of rugby. The Ashton Gate Stadium serves as their residence.
The Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter development aims to use sport and leisure to make a positive difference in the community and as a cornerstone of a mixed-use commercial scheme surrounding the Bristol City F.C.’s stadium. It includes a 5,200-seat mixed-use arena, hotel, multistory car park, as well as commercial, residential, retail, and office buildings.
Kelly said, “It has been both a privilege and an honour to lead the stadium and hold the multiple roles that I have within Pula.
“My family has literally grown up with the stadium – through the two-year redevelopment project, the planning of the Sporting Quarter, the lockdown of Covid and the establishment of it as an internationally respected venue for world class sporting events like the Women’s Rugby World Cup and our sell-out concerts.
“It is only when you have the opportunity to look back and reflect, you realise how much a part of your life it has become. I will miss the amazing team of people that work here, some of whom have been with me since day one.
“However, now is the right time for me to embark on a new challenge. I would like to sincerely thank the Lansdown Family for their support throughout the years and for the opportunities that being part of this group has afforded me.”
Kelly led the two-year redevelopment and the opening of the Lansdown Stand in 2016 and has been at the helm for hosting sell-out crowds for not just City and Bears, but also Red Roses, Lionesses, concerts and the transformation of the stadium into the UK’s first super-vaccine centre in the depths of Covid.
He added, “None of that would have been possible without the incredible team of dedicated people that work alongside me. Every day that I walk into Ashton Gate I am aware of how vital a role it plays within its community.
“It has been a privilege to contribute to the Lansdown Family’s long-term vision for sport, business and the wider community in this brilliant city.
“Whilst it will be a wrench when I finally say goodbye, there is much to do before then and I will leave with great pride knowing what has been achieved and have confidence in the future of Ashton Gate and AG Sporting Quarter. The foundations are strong, and I look forward to seeing the organisation continue to grow and succeed in the years ahead.”
Bristol Sport founder Steve Lansdown CBE said, “We are sorry to see Mark leave but understand his desire for a new challenge. We thank him for all his hard work over the years and wish him all the best for the future.”
Ashton Gate Director and Chairman of Bristol Sport Jon Lansdown said: “Mark has been instrumental in the development of our sporting group. On behalf of the Lansdown family I would personally like to thank him, for the dedication and service he has shown throughout the years.
“Whilst we work together through this transition period over the next few months, I know that he will leave us in a better place and has laid excellent foundations for us to continue the stadium’s trajectory of growth as one of the leading multi-sport and entertainment venues in the country.”
Kelly will work over the coming months to ensure a stable transition before the end of the year.
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