He will stand down at the end of the season after a bumpy tenure which has included a racism crisis and financial problems
Essex chief executive John Stephenson has announced he will step down at the end of the 2024 season.
Stephenson ends his tenure in the role after three years, having also spent time at the club during his playing career over two spells.
In a statement, he said: "This has been a difficult decision to make as Essex has been in my bloodstream since the day I walked through the doors at Chelmsford in 1984.
"I am proud of what I achieved here. I have loved my time as chief executive and particularly enjoyed working with our diverse and talented board and our close-knit team of professional and dedicated staff.
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Stephenson was previously the MCC Head of Cricket (WPA Pool via Getty Images)
"We have enjoyed success on the field and I am certain there is more to come. I wish everyone at the Club the very best for the future, which I am confident will be successful, building on the strong foundations which we, as a team, have built. I will always be willing to assist Essex in any way that I can in the future."
This season Essex were charged with a breach of ECB Directive 3.3 and it is alleged the club "failed to address" the "systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language" between 2001 and 2010.
Essex chair Anu Mohindru KC praised the outgoing chief executive for his handling of the charges.
He said: "He has shown outstanding leadership in guiding Essex through the last three years, and we are extremely sad to see him step down but we respect his reasons.
"These have been difficult times for the Club in facing historical allegations of racism, but we were extremely fortunate to have John as CEO. He was prepared to tackle the allegations head on, and in doing so demonstrated resolve, wisdom, fairness and integrity.
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The Cricketer understands that victims Jahid Ahmed and Maurice Chambers lacked confidence in the Cricket Regulator which resulted in individuals at Essex facing no further punishment.
This came after Katharine Newton KC's report found references to ethnic, racial and religious origins were "entirely normalised and tolerated behaviour" across a wider period between the mid-1990s and 2013 at the county.
Stephenson was also commended for his work which included securing a women’s team in the new domestic structure in 2025.
Mohindru added: "During his tenure, we have been successful in securing a Women's Tier One team and developing a clear vision and master plan for a new ground. He leaves this county in a stronger position and much better equipped to build for the future."
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