Brighton confirm end-of-season board changes as Ray Bloom and Peter Godfrey retire

Brighton & Hove Albion have confirmed that non-executive directors Ray Bloom and Peter Godfrey will retire from the club’s main board at the end of the 2025-26 season.Robert Comer and Adam Franks, both long-serving non-executive directors, will become non-executive vice-chairs on June 1, the club said.Brighton also announced that Carina Bauer, chair of the club’s Foundation and chief executive of Brighton-based events business IMEX, will join the board as a non-executive director, subject to regulatory approval.Chairman Tony Bloom paid tribute to both departing directors and said their contributions were central to the club’s survival and growth.Tony Bloom said: “Ray and Peter have given so much to this football club for so many years, and we owe both a huge debt of gratitude.“Like me, Ray has the Albion in his DNA, as he inherited that same love for the club, from his father, my grandfather Harry.”“Few will know that his loyalty, humility and quiet determination, alongside others, helped keep the club alive when times were incredibly tough, and his ideas and initiatives continue to benefit us today.”Ray Bloom will leave after 42 years as a director, the longest tenure in the club’s history, having been a key figure in fundraising and supporter initiatives across multiple decades.Brighton said Bloom will be recognised as honorary life president, joining former chairman Dick Knight.Godfrey, who joined the main board in 2010 after a career in financial services including senior roles at American Express and HSBC, was credited with helping drive major commercial developments.Tony Bloom said: “Peter has been a trusted voice around the boardroom table for many years. His experience, perspective and sheer presence have helped guide the club through some of its biggest moments.“Peter has a unique combination of skills … This has been invaluable to both me and my fellow board members throughout his time on the board.”Brighton said Godfrey will become a business ambassador supporting the club’s commercial and marketing teams, and the club will launch the Peter Godfrey Innovation Award to be presented annually at its End of Season Awards.Tony Bloom added: “I am also thrilled to welcome Carina to the board. Her experience and skill set will be a huge asset to the board and the club.“Similarly, I am delighted Robert and Adam will be taking on the roles of non-executive vice-chairs … they provide an important level of consistency and club knowledge stretching back many years.”