Lawyer Leo Rifkind appointed as Charlton Athletic director

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Leo Rifkind – one of the lawyers who helped Thomas Sandgaard acquire Charlton Athletic – has been appointed as a club director.

Companies House listed the change on February 24.

Previously US-based Sandgaard, who bought the football club in late September, had been the sole director of the football club.

Rifkind works for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Both he and colleague Chris Mort, formerly chairman at Newcastle, had attended games with Sandgaard before his takeover went through.

Rifkind previously worked at US firms, Simpson Thacher Bartlett LLP and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. He was a visiting tutor in the Law of Business Associations at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Sandgaard was appointed as the sole director of Charlton Athletic Women on February 26 with chairman Stephen King relinquishing the role.

It was announced last month that Danish businessman Sandgaard was taking control of the club – subject to approval from the footballing authorities.