Hartlepool United appoint former Darlington CEO Martin Jesper as Acting Executive Director

Martin Jesper has been appointed at Hartlepool United.

Jesper will take on the new role with immediate effect following the departure of former chief executive Mark Maguire this week.

A club statement read that Jesper ‘will have overall responsibility for the Club’s strategic, operational and stakeholder engagement activities, reporting directly to the Board of Directors’.

The qualified chartered accountant’s previous footballing experience includes a three-year spell at Darlington between 2012 and 2015 following the club’s administration and subsequent demotion to the Northern League.

After leaving Darlington, Jesper went north of the border to become Hearts’ Head of Strategic Developments. During his 18 months at Tynecastle, Jesper helped drive Hearts’ relationship with its foundation and other supporter groups with the view of a potential transition into fan ownership.

Pools describe Jesper as ‘an established business transformation professional of aspirational, yet underperforming, organisations – familiar with the short and medium-term challenges currently faced by the club.’

Hartlepool, like many clubs across the country, are facing a precarious period brought about by the coronavirus outbreak and subsequent shutdown of football.

And with no clarity over a return date for National League football, the club has been taking several drastic steps in order to reduce costs and preserve the business.

This has led to the dismissals of several key staff members including Jesper’s effective predecessor Maguire, long-serving media manager Mark Simpson and several others.

Following Jesper’s appointment, Pools chairman Raj Singh said: “Martin has been providing constructive challenge to the Club’s short and medium-term plans over the last 3 months.

“His combined business, sporting and leadership expertise are ideally placed to help the Club through the challenges that lie ahead and I am sure that everyone will support him in his role.”

Eager to get started, Jesper added: “This is an exciting, yet hugely challenging, role. Alongside every other club, Hartlepool United faces a period of immense uncertainty and I look forward to working with everyone connected with the club to help create a sustainable club model and performance improvements bothon and off the pitch.”