Chelsea have sacked their business director lower than a month after using him after it emerged that he had despatched ‘inappropriate messages’ to a feminine soccer finance agent earlier than he joined the membership.
The west London aspect confirmed that that they had terminated the contract of Damian Willoughby ‘with quick impact’ after they had been made conscious of the content material of the messages despatched to Catalina Kim.
Willoughby was in his second spell at Stamford Bridge having additionally labored for Manchester Metropolis and EA Sports activities. He took a key function, with Chelsea’s new US homeowners seeking to maximise off-the-field income.
Nevertheless, Willoughby has now departed after lower than 4 weeks with the membership. A Chelsea assertion learn: ‘Chelsea Soccer Membership confirms that it has terminated business director Damian Willoughby’s employment with quick impact.
‘Proof of inappropriate messages despatched by Mr Willoughby, previous to his appointment at Chelsea FC earlier this month, has not too long ago been supplied to and investigated by the membership.
‘Whereas they had been despatched previous to his employment on the membership, such behaviour runs completely counter to the office atmosphere and company tradition being established by the membership’s new possession.
Chelsea have sacked their business director Damian Willoughby after lower than a month
Catalina Kim (pictured) supplied a sequence of messages that had been despatched from Willougby final yr
Two strings of alleged messages between Willoughby and Kim, as detailed in The Telegraph
‘The membership’s homeowners are working tirelessly to set and obtain the very best requirements each on and off the pitch, and are decided to determine and nurture a tradition of transparency, accountability, inclusivity, range and alternative.
‘The membership is dedicated to creating an atmosphere which embodies these values.’
Kim is alleged to have made a grievance to the Blues president of enterprise Tom Glick, who employed Willoughby, to say that she had been sexually harassed earlier than his employment by the membership and alleges she felt threatened over the phone.
Kim held talks with Glick, who turned the primary appointment of the brand new Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital homeowners in July, on behalf of abroad traders who need to pump a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands of kilos into the membership’s mens’, womens’ and academy groups.
Chelsea homeowners Todd Boehly and Co are working to realize new excessive requirements on the membership
These talks, nevertheless, have stalled since Glick added Willoughby, who he labored with at Manchester Metropolis, to the negotiations that prompted Kim to boost her considerations about his inclusion.
Kim supplied Glick with a sequence of messages that had been despatched final yr by Willoughby during which he requested her if she was bare, introduced up the topic of getting intercourse, posted an alleged sexually express video and instructed he would prepare a gathering with Metropolis chief govt Ferran Soriano if she was keen to be ‘naughty’, in keeping with Telegraph Sport.
The Telegraph quote messages from a dialog about introducing Kim to Soriano the place Willoughby requested: ‘If you come to London will you be naughty?’ She replied: ‘no’. Later, after saying ‘comfortable to attach you’, Willoughby is reported to have added: ‘If you happen to promise to be naughty one night time.
In one other string of messages from 2021, Willoughby says she is being ‘lazy’ and nonetheless in mattress’. The messages observe: ‘Bare clearly’… ‘Not clearly’… ‘Haha ship pic. I’m bare’. He’s then mentioned to have provided to ship Kim a picture however she replied: ‘No please’.
The messages are mentioned to have change into indignant after Kim rejected a proposal from Willoughby to assist fund a bid to purchase Chelsea that was anticipated to rival the bid of Todd Boehly and Clearlake.
Kim as a substitute supplied funding for over 40 per cent of Nick Sweet’s bid, which she later withdrew, after which a Sir Martin Broughton-fronted proposal that made the ultimate three.
Kim and Willoughby first met again in 2015, when the latter was vice-president – head of partnership gross sales for the Metropolis Soccer Group, the steady of golf equipment together with Manchester Metropolis, who she had been working with on numerous offers.
The president of enterprise Glick is alleged to have knowledgeable Kim by way of an electronic mail on August 29 that Willoughby would change into the Blues new business director and arrange a gathering between the trio that happened simply two days later.
Kim raised her considerations with Glick over the involvement of Willoughby after that first assembly, initially surrounding his try to boost funding as a part of a bid to purchase Chelsea.
The Telegraph report believes she alleges this prompted an indignant cellphone name from Willoughby.
The Blues confirmed that that they had terminated Willoughby’s contract with quick impact
Kim then forwarded Glick eight screenshots of messages of a sexual nature, together with the alleged sexually express video, on September 3 – two days earlier than Willoughby’s official begin date at Chelsea.
She then made a grievance after Willoughby began working for Chelsea and talks have since stalled over her proposed funding challenge.
Chelsea workers had been knowledgeable of Willougby’s sacking by way of an inner memo this morning. There isn’t any remark from Damian Willoughby on the time of publication.
His LinkedIn profile describes himself as: ‘A extremely motivated, devoted and profitable senior sports activities advertising skilled with over 20+ years trade expertise representing premium rights holders.’
His Twitter biography says he’s a: ‘Proud father of three superb daughters’ and a ‘fortunate husband to an incredible spouse’.
Kim’s profile describes how, as founder and CEO of C&P Sports activities, her firm ‘launched Asian finance to the Premier League and have labored with a few of South Korea’s most profitable sports activities stars.’