Celtic’s principal shareholder, Dermot Desmond, has paid tribute to Peter Lawwell after the club chairman confirmed he will step down at the end of 2025.
Lawwell, who has been a key figure at Celtic for over two decades, cited increasing abuse and threats as the reason for his departure.
Lawwell’s exit will bring to a close an 18-year spell as Chief Executive, followed by three years as Chairman, during which Celtic enjoyed significant domestic success and financial stability. Desmond praised Lawwell’s contributions on and off the pitch, calling his impact “extraordinary.”
In a statement released by the club, Desmond said:
“I am personally very sorry to lose Peter as our Chairman, but I understand and respect his decision, in light of recent events and what he has endured.
“I want to pay tribute to Peter for all he has given Celtic over so many years. As Chief Executive, Peter was the driving force of the Club, and in his later role as Chairman he oversaw board affairs.
“Peter has witnessed 38 cup or title triumphs in his time at the Club, a period of extraordinary domestic dominance for us as we have also competed in European football.
“Peter has also overseen the building of our training centre at Lennoxtown, the creation of the new facility at Barrowfield and the upgrading of Celtic Park, all of which were underpinned by the financial stability which has become the cornerstone of the Club under his leadership. Celtic is in a strong position to withstand whatever the future may throw at us.
“During Peter’s tenure, Celtic found a strong voice in Scottish football and, indeed, at European level, with his positions within European Football Clubs (previously European Club Association) reflecting the respect for Peter’s expertise as well as the Club’s history and governance.
“Peter’s knowledge, wisdom and understanding of the Club and our environment has served the Club brilliantly over so many years. I thank Peter sincerely for all he has done and I wish him and his family nothing but the very best for the future.”
Brian Wilson will take over as interim chairman from January 1, 2026, as the board begins the process of selecting a permanent successor.
Brian Wilson has been a non-executive director at Celtic since June 2005, meaning he has been on the board for over 20 years.
In the build-up to the AGM, the Celtic Fans Collective had claimed that his time at Celtic had “expired”, saying he is “no longer independent” and could not fulfil his roles as a non-executive director.
Wilson will be in the chairman’s position for at least the start of the January transfer window, where fans are expecting to see a lot of quality added to the squad, after a disastrous summer window, which did seem to be the final straw on the camel’s back.
