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LONDON: The English Premier League has suffered a rare setback after Susanna Dinnage decided to reverse her decision to accept the post of chief executive in succession to the retiring Richard Scudamore writes KEIR RADNEDGE.
The nominations committee that selected Dinnage must now revive the entire process. The panel comprised Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck, Leicester chief executive Susan Whelan and Burnley chairman Mike Garlick. Scudamore is expected to take an advisory role.
The 59-year-old was widely criticised for accepting a £5m departure bonus from all 20 Premier League clubs “in recognition of the outstanding work Richard has carried out over the last 19 years.”
Other initial contenders for his job were believed to have included Tom Betts, ITV’s strategy director, and Tim Davie, who heads BBC Studios.
An EPL statement said: “Despite her commitment to the Premier League in early November, Susanna Dinnage has now advised the nominations committee that she will not be taking up the position of chief executive.
Industry sources hinted that Dinnage had decided to remain with the Discovery channel where she built her reputation.
She has spent more than 20 years in the television industry and joined Discovery in 2009. She served as general manager of the UK and Benelux businesses and then as president of UK/Ireland and chief content officer for Discovery Networks International. Lately she had been as global president at Discovery’s Animal Planet channel
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