Ben Kensell breaks Hibs exit silence as departing CEO defends record in 384-word statement

Ben Kensell has insisted he is proud of his record as Hibs CEO in a 384-word statement marking his Easter Road departure.

Hibs announced a mutual parting of ways with Kensell on Thursday, bringing an end to a chequered tenure where the Englishman oversaw four managerial sackings in four years while brokering the deal which delivered a £6million investment from Bill Foley's Black Knights Group.

Kensell also overhauled the club’s hospitality set-up and provided support to club owners Kit and Ian Gordon after the passing nearly two years ago of Ron Gordon, who recruited the former Norwich City CEO in 2021. However, Kensell was a divisive figure within the fanbase, with supporters calling for his departure as recently as last month when the club was struggling at the wrong end of the Premiership before embarking on a recent revivial under head coach David Gray.

Ben Kensell arrived at Hibs in 2021. | SNS Group

Recruitment was a particular bone of contention under Kensell’s reign, with expensive purchases such as Jair Tavares and Harry McKirdy not making a tangible impact at Easter Road while Hibs also posted a loss of £3.9million in their last set of accounts.

Kensell posted on social media: “It’s with a real sense of pride, achievement and satisfaction that after over three and a half years leading this great club as CEO I am leaving Hibs on very good and amicable terms by mutual consent.

“Simply put, I’ve done everything the club has asked me to do and more. I wish the inspiring Ron Gordon was here to see it and enjoy the highs and lows and successes we’ve achieved. The Gordon family are fantastic owners and I can’t speak highly enough of them.

“Together with the staff, players and support of sponsors, suppliers, corporate guests and the brilliant fanbase we have transformed the club off the pitch, doubling turnover with incredible, unrivalled commercial growth, building a fantastic staff culture across both HTC and Easter Road and improving the stadium and training ground so it’s unrecognisable from when I arrived in July 2021. There was a clear strategic plan and it’s been delivered over this time.

Departed Hibs CEO Ben Kensell and club owner Kit Gordon during a match at Easter Road. | SNS Group

“Easter Road as a match day experience is best in class now and I take great pride in having delivered that and it generating the revenues and experiences it now does for everyone to enjoy. Bringing Black Knight Football Group on board for a first of its kind investment and partnership in Scotland was also a big achievement which will benefit Hibs on the pitch for years to come and on top of this we have managed to achieve millions in player sales through my negotiations and I leave the club with the men’s and women’s team on fantastic form with brilliant management in place across all areas.

“I wish we could have had more success on the pitch despite the semi finals and one Premier Sports cup final and the one season in Europe getting knocked out by Aston Villa but that’s football for you. I have so much confidence that with the solid foundations now in place this club will go on to achieve great success because it deserves it.

“Thank you to everyone for their hard work, efforts and support and there are too many to mention but I will forever be a Hibs supporter because it’s just a wonderful football club in a brilliant city with fantastic people at the heart of it. It was an absolute honour to lead Hibernian FC.”