## A New Era at Tottenham Hotspur: The Lewis Family Takes Center Stage
The departure of Daniel Levy as Chairman marks a notable turning point for tottenham Hotspur, thrusting the club’s majority owners, the Lewis family, into the spotlight. For over two decades,Levy served as the public face of Tottenham,shielding the family – who control just over 60% of the club’s shares through ENIC – from direct scrutiny.
Joe Lewis, now 88, recently pleaded guilty to insider trading in January 2024, following indictment in the summer of 2023 for “orchestrating a brazen insider trading scheme.” He ceased being a ‘person of significant control’ in October 2022 due to a reorganization of the family trusts.Despite Levy’s exit, the ownership structure remains unchanged. The Lewis family trust maintains its majority stake, while Levy and his family continue to hold roughly 25% of the club’s shares via similar discretionary trusts. This arrangement has persisted even wiht Levy’s departure, as confirmed by the club.
With Joe Lewis’s legal issues and Levy’s resignation, attention now focuses on Vivienne and Charles Lewis, Joe’s children, and the next generation of the family. Fans are eager to understand their vision for the club’s future.
The immediate priority, according to a source close to the family, is supporting the newly appointed management team of Vinai Venkatesham, Thomas Galvin, and Peter Charrington.Though, the scale of the transition is considerable. Replacing Levy, who oversaw the club for 24 years, will be a considerable undertaking, particularly given the recent arrival of most of the new leadership. the club is emphasizing clarity and communication as it navigates this new era.
Long-standing speculation regarding a potential sale of ENIC, or at least a partial stake, has resurfaced. While rumors of a full sale haven’t materialized, the club explored the possibility of selling a 10% stake for approximately £400 million earlier in 2024, seeking to bolster its equity base – a need acknowledged by Levy himself. Rothschild advised on these discussions with prospective investors,but no deal was ultimately reached.
Currently, there is no indication of an imminent full sale, with potential buyers reportedly as surprised as anyone by Levy’s departure. The Lewis family’s initial focus is on improving the team’s performance and consistency.This means confronting the same challenges Levy faced: competing financially with wealthier clubs, managing wage and transfer spending, securing new funding sources, and balancing youth advancement with experienced players, all while satisfying fan expectations regarding playing style and success. These are the questions that defined Levy’s tenure,and now fall to the Lewis family to address.
