Wolves chairman Jeff Shi resigns as fan protests mount; interim leader named as relegation fears deepen
Nathan Shi to serve as interim executive chairman after a season defined by upheaval, poor recruitment and a perilous league position.
Jeff Shi has stepped down as executive chairman of Wolverhampton Wanderers after weeks of fan protests and a tumultuous run of results that left the club near the bottom of the Premier League standings. Wolves have collected only two points from their first 16 league matches, a stark contrast to the club’s recent history of on-field success and European campaigns. The departure marks the latest upheaval for an ownership group that has faced sustained pressure from supporters amid the decline in form and perceived missteps in recruitment and strategy.
Nathan Shi will take over as interim executive chairman, the club announced on Tuesday night. The Fosun-backed leadership said the change will be temporary while the club conducts its ongoing review of operations and football strategy. Nathan Shi said he felt privileged to lead a club whose achievements were built on the collective effort of players, coaching staff, employees, supporters and the wider Wolverhampton community, and he expressed gratitude for the board’s trust as he prepares to assume the role.
The club has long been run under Fosun’s umbrella since the Chinese investment group took over in the mid-2010s. While Wolves had enjoyed several high points in recent years, including a pair of seventh-place finishes in the league and deep runs in cup competitions, this season has been a different story. Recruitment in the summer was widely criticized as chaotic, and under new manager Rob Edwards the team has struggled to arrest the slide toward relegation. The two-point return from the opening 16 fixtures left Wolves facing a real threat of dropping into the Championship, with matches increasingly carrying the weight of consequence for the club’s ambitions.
In the most visible sign of unrest, a portion of home supporters delayed entering the ground for a recent defeat to Manchester United as a protest against Fosun’s stewardship. That moment underscored growing frustration among the fanbase over ownership direction, transfer policy and the on-pield results that have stoked concerns about the club’s trajectory.
Looking ahead, Wolves travel to Brentford on Saturday, with Nathan Shi expected to attend what will be his first major test as interim chairman since stepping into the role. The club reiterated that Fosun has no current plans to sell and remains focused on external investment opportunities rather than a sale, a stance that supporters and observers will be watching closely as the season unfolds and the leadership team adjusts to the new structure.
Nathan Shi’s background has been the subject of careful media scrutiny. Reports have linked him to Club Med, a Fosun portfolio company, and Chinese-language coverage has referenced his ties to Guo Guangchang, Fosun’s chairman, though formal confirmation from Wolves has been scarce. The LinkedIn listing that previously placed him in a Fosun-linked executive role appeared to be removed from circulation, leaving questions about the exact scope of his responsibilities and the responsibilities of the interim leadership at Molineux.
The leadership shake-up comes at a delicate moment for Wolves. While the club has repeatedly emphasized its long-term plan and the importance of stability, the immediate challenge is to arrest the slide in the league table and to restore a sense of direction for players, staff and supporters. The interim chairmanship is expected to focus on stabilizing the football operation, reviewing recruitment decisions, and restoring confidence at a club that has endured weeks of disruption and public disagreement over its ownership structure.
As the season progresses, fans and stakeholders will be watching closely to see whether the new interim leadership can mobilize the squad and the club’s resources to reverse the decline and set Wolves back on a course toward competitiveness in the top flight. The coming weeks will determine how quickly Fosun’s ownership decisions translate into on-pitch improvement and a clearer long-term plan for Wolverhampton Wanderers.