Tribunal gets glimpse into Abramovich world

A legal action brought against Chelsea Football Club by one of it former executives, Tim Smith, offers an intriguing glimpse into the working practices of its secretive owner, the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

Giving evidence to the tribunal, Smith, who claims he is owed £1m in unpaid wages and bonuses, depicted the tycoon as a removed figure, a view shared by Peter Kenyon, the club’s chief executive.

“Curiously, Mr Kenyon declared that he was sympathetic to the position that I found myself in and believed that Mr Abramovich was so detached from the real world that he didn't make decisions that would be regarded as rational by the general public. Maybe Mr Abramovich thought that everyone had their own plane and yacht.” (Continued below)

Smith added: "Mr Kenyon wanted me to believe that, despite his own public positioning as the all-powerful celebrity CEO, on the specific area of executive compensation he was being neutered by Mr Abramovich. Hiding behind Mr Abramovich's skirts was a convenient sham but it clearly lacked any credibility. Mr Abramovich would spend £587m on Chelsea by the time I left, so I doubt that he was daunted by the size of my prospective salary."