Property developer joins Leeds United board as another manager bites the dust
THE chief executive of a property development company based in London has joined the board at beleaguered Leeds United, at the same time that Cellino’s longest serving manager, Steve Evans, leaves the club.
Italian Niccolò Barattieri Di San Pietro is chief executive of Northacre, which develops luxury London flats has joined the team.
He was an advisor to the chairman of Sunderland AFC between 2013 and 2014, and before that a partner in Est4te Four, a company which helped create Milan’s fashion quarter.
Prior to this he was the head trader for Theorema Asset Management, a $600 million European Equity Hedge Fund, as well as Newman Ragazzi, a $1bn European equity hedge fund.
He started his career with Merrill Lynch (Equity Sales) and Barclays Global Investors (Asset Allocation) in the United States.
His appointment follows the departure of chairman Massimo Cellino’s son Ercole stepped down from the board in March after posting offensive comments on social media.
It has also been announced that Steve Evans, whose seven-month stint at Leeds United has been the longest of any manager, is departing the club.
Mr Evans, along with assistant coach Paul Raynor, are leaving the team, despite declaring on Saturday that he was keen to remain in the role.
Under them, Leeds had made it to 13th place in the Championship, the highest during Italian businessman Massimo Cellino’s tenure as owner.
Mr Evens is the sixth head coach to have been appointed since Mr Cellino took over the club in 2014.
Brian McDermott and Darko Milanic lasted a month each under Mr Cellino, who said: “Steve completed the job he was brought in to carry out – to keep the team in the Championship – and his hard work here has been greatly appreciated. I wish him and Paul Raynor the very best for the future.
“We have, however, decided that a different approach is required in order to achieve our targets for the new season.
“The Club is now looking to appoint a new head coach to build on the good work of Steve and Paul and deliver the special season which our supporters deserve.”
The BBC has reported that LUFC has approached Darrell Clark of Bristol Rovers for the job.
