Saracens owner backs CEO and rejects chaos claims

Dominic Silvester, who took control of Saracens in 2022 after a £32 million takeover, has publicly defended chief executive Ed Coetzee and dismissed a recent Times story that suggested the club was experiencing “executive‑level chaos.” In an open letter posted on Saracens’ website, Silvester praised Coetzee’s work since his appointment in July, calling it “extraordinary.”

“We have full confidence in Ed and his team,” the owner wrote. “We believe they have the experience, capability and determination to raise standards across every area of the club, strengthen our financial sustainability and ensure that Saracens continues to be an organisation of which our players, staff, partners and supporters can be proud.”

The Times article, published on Friday, claimed that the 2022 takeover that saw Silvester replace former owner Nigel Wray had sparked a period of turmoil at the executive level. It noted that Coetzee is the third chief executive in two years and pointed to a high turnover of staff, warning that such churn could make sponsors hesitant to engage with the club.

Silvester rejected those assertions, outlining a series of achievements under Coetzee’s leadership. He highlighted the hosting of the all‑female athletics meeting Athlos and the Gaelic football clash between Mayo and Kerry at the club’s StoneX Stadium. He also mentioned new commercial and hospitality partnerships and the recent strengthening of the executive team with Jason Thomas as chief financial officer and Rob Cook as chief operating officer.

“Together, Ed, Jason and Rob bring significant experience, complementary expertise and a clear commitment to building a financially sustainable business while maintaining Saracens’ high‑performance sporting ambitions,” Silvester wrote. “We are ambitious about our future, realistic about the work required to achieve our goals and united in our commitment to taking Saracens forward.”