Rangers have confirmed the appointment of St Mirren vice-chairman Jim Gillespie as chief executive.
The position has been vacant since Patrick Stewart was sacked by the Ibrox club in November and chairman Andrew Cavenagh says Gillespie was chosen after they spoke “to an exceptional group of candidates across Scotland and Europe”.
Gillespie, who has resigned from his role with Scottish Premiership rivals St Mirren after five years, is also chief executive of social care charity Kibble, which is part owner of the Paisley club.
Rangers say he will start his new role “later in the season”, with Fraser Thornton continuing as acting chief executive until then before becoming executive director.
Gillespie was quoted in September 2024 saying that he had pulled out of talks with Rangers to become chief executive and later said he had also rejected approaches from English clubs., external
Since then, the Ibrox club has been taken over by Cavenagh’s US-based consortium, with Stewart removed along with sporting director Kevin Thelwell in November after only 11 months in post.
Thanking the board for their “confidence” in him, Gillespie told the club website: “Rangers Football Club is a historic institution and it’s an honour to be asked to contribute to its leadership.”
Stewart’s exit followed a disappointing summer transfer window and start to the season that also led to the sacking of Russell Martin after only 17 games as head coach.
Rangers’ results and league position have improved under successor Danny Rohl and Cavanagh believes they have found a chief executive who will help continue the upward trajectory.
“Jim consistently stood out for his understanding of what Rangers stands for and the standards this club demands,” the chairman said.
“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.”
Rangers point to Gillespie’s experience “delivering complex, regulated services for vulnerable children and young people and managing a staff of over 1,000” with Kibble, while “leading the organisation through transformational changes and improving its financial position”.
In addition, having joined St Mirren’s board in 2020, he had “contributed to a period of sporting success for the club while strengthening the club’s financial standing”.
