Significant departure at The Hawthorns as Shilen Patel West Brom era begins
Former Albion chief executive Xu Ke has stepped down from his role as sole director of West Bromwich Albion Group amid Shilen Patel’s takeover from Guochuan Lai.
Ke, who was known as Ken, was an associate of former controlling shareholder Lai and was appointed as club CEO in summer 2020 to replace Mark Jenkins.
His position in that role lasted barely 18 months until Ron Gourlay moved into the position in early 2022.
Ke was the sole director of WBA Group, the club’s parent company, as well as a director of the club.
But government registration agency Companies House – which makes company accounts available to public – confirmed this morning of Hawthorns-based Ke’s termination as director from both Group and club, meaning his near four-year tenure in the Black Country has ended.
Florida-based Patel this week saw his Bilkul Football WBA group, alongside father Dr Kiran Patel, confirm a takeover of the Championship club from Lai, ending a disastrous eight-year tenure.
Patel and managing director Mark Miles are now the club’s sole directors. Albion’s new American chairman is also director of Group.
Also confirmed in five fresh filings was the notification of Patel as a person in significant control, with the cessation of Lai as significant controller.
Chinese Ke was a regular conduit between the club and Lai, who last attended these shores in early 2022.
Ke attended meetings with minority shareholders S4A in the early part of his time at the club. In more recent times he delivered a letter to Lai in China demanding answers from supporter pressure group Action for Albion.
