Sally Bolton to step down as All England Club chief after Wimbledon

Sally Bolton will step down as the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s (AELTC) chief executive after Wimbledon following six years in the role.

Bolton became the first female chief executive of the All England Club when she was appointed in December 2019, replacing Richard Lewis.

The 51-year-old oversaw Wimbledon’s return after the tournament was cancelled in 2020 because of the Covid pandemic.

The AELTC said that financial director Richard Atkinson will take up the role on an interim basis and that a new chief executive will be announced in due course.

“I am proud of what we have achieved together – particularly bringing the Championships back following the pandemic and in shaping a clear path for the future,” Bolton said.

“The All England Club is a very special institution, and I look forward to seeing it continue to flourish in the years ahead.”

Bolton has backed the AELTC’s plans to to expand the Wimbledon site, while she oversaw the tournament’s transition from a 13-day to a 14-day event in 2022, with the introduction of play in its middle Sunday.

Deborah Jevans, the chair of the All England Club, said: “I’d like to thank Sally for her hard work and dedication over that time and commend her for guiding the organisation through a period of significant change.”