CHAIR OF Sunderland Business Group, the North East England Chamber of Commerce’s Sunderland committee, and former Sunderland AFC commercial director, Gary Hutchinson, is to return to the region after a 12-month stint with the Football Association.
The Head of Club Wembley, who moved to London at the beginning of the year to take on his FA role, will leave the organisation at the end of the 2017, after announcing he is to return to his home-city to take forward a new business.
One of the Sunderland’s most high-profile businessmen, Mr Hutchinson has revealed his plans are focused around the development of a new leisure company that will be headquartered from the city, but has regional and national ambitions.
Mr Hutchinson, who left his role with Sunderland AFC in December last year, said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the FA and I’m committed to supporting the organisation over the next few months, until they have plans in place to take Club Wembley forward in the new year.
“However, I have been pursuing a new business venture for the last few months, and it has very quickly moved from being just a concept to something I am ready to push the button on and turn into a reality. It’s moving ahead rapidly, and I am sure it will continue to develop quickly.”
He added: “It’s always been an ambition of mine to run a leisure group, and I’m in the process of finalising the purchase of my first venue. I’m hoping to be in a position to share more details of plans over the coming weeks. It is the first of a number of planned acquisitions – we have big plans.”
Mr Hutchinson has worked in the leisure and hospitality industry for almost two decades, having started his career as an apprentice, before taking up a role with Sunderland AFC that saw him rise through the ranks, before his departure in December 2016. His new venture will see him base himself in the North East, as well as having plans to work from London too.
Further announcements on his new business venture are expected over the next few weeks.