Sunderland director issues emotional tribute after surprise David Bruce announcement | OneFootball

Sunderland confirmed Chief Business Officer David Bruce will leave this summer, prompting a heartfelt tribute from non-executive director Leo Pearlman and a reshuffle that installs Tom Burwell as interim chief executive ahead of a permanent hire.

Burwell is CEO of Bia Sports Group, which manages Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori’s sporting businesses.

Pearlman, co-founder and managing partner of Fulwell 73 and on the board since 2023, praised Bruce’s impact in improving the club and said change is inevitable and necessary in the next chapter.

In a LinkedIn post he said Bruce left Major League Soccer in July 2023 to return to Wearside for a purpose-led challenge, and credited him with helping restore the bond between club and city and aligning on-pitch and off-field work.

He added that progress should not come at the expense of recognising those who laid the foundations, thanking Bruce and saying Sunderland is in a better place for his return.

Bruce’s exit continues a broader off-field restructure following Sunderland’s promotion to the Premier League. Mike Papadimitriou was appointed Chief Financial Officer in September last year, and in January the club moved to hire a new Chief Revenue Officer after Ashley Peden left as Chief Commercial Officer, with Bia Sports Group’s Scott McCubbin covering that role on an interim basis.

Source: Sunderland Echo