Newcastle United strengthens executive team with new CPO appointment 

Newcastle United has appointed Graeme Johnson as chief people officer (CPO), joining chief executive officer (CEO) David Hopkinson’s executive team. 

Johnson, who is from Tyneside, has held senior leadership roles at Merlin Entertainments, Virgin Media, BT and Entain. 

He brings experience in building high-performance cultures and leading large-scale talent and transformation strategies across several industries. 

Additionally, Dave O’Connor will join as chief revenue officer later this month, and Steven Taylor will become chief marketing officer from July.

Hopkinson said: “Graeme, Dave and Steven each bring proven leadership and deep expertise in their respective fields, and I’m truly delighted to welcome them to Newcastle United.

“In the near term, their focus will be on strengthening our organisational capability – embedding a high-performance culture, sharpening our global brand, and accelerating key revenue streams.

“Over the longer term, these appointments are about building the foundations of a world-class organisation.”

Hopkinson added: “By investing in people, brand and commercial growth, we are positioning the club for sustainable success and ensuring we can compete consistently at the highest level on and off the pitch.”