'Honorary Mackem' and SAFC chair Kyril Louis-Dreyfus officially welcomed to Sunderland

Sunderland AFC chairman and majority shareholder Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has been officially welcomed to Sunderland at a charity dinner hosted at the Stadium of Light. The proceeds went to the club’s charity, the Foundation of Light.
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The event was organised by former Sunderland City councillor Les Scott, with BBC Look North’s Jeff Brown hosting. A Q&A session was also held, featuring 1973 FA Cup winners Jimmy Montgomery and Ritchie Pitt, who sat alongside SAFC club historian Rob Mason.

Also among the 90 guests were former chairman Sir Bob Murray, Mayor of Sunderland Cllr Harry Trueman and Sunderland MPs Sharon Hodgson, Julie Elliott and Bridget Phillipson.

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Sunderland-born Jonathan Reynolds, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and representatives of Wearside’s business community also attended.

Sunderland Mayoress Cllr Dorothy Trueman and Mayor Cllr Harry Trueman present Kyril Louis-Dreyfus with a print of an LS Lowry painting at the Stadium of Light. Picture by Michael Oliver.Sunderland Mayoress Cllr Dorothy Trueman and Mayor Cllr Harry Trueman present Kyril Louis-Dreyfus with a print of an LS Lowry painting at the Stadium of Light. Picture by Michael Oliver.
Sunderland Mayoress Cllr Dorothy Trueman and Mayor Cllr Harry Trueman present Kyril Louis-Dreyfus with a print of an LS Lowry painting at the Stadium of Light. Picture by Michael Oliver.

Entertainment was provided by Marty Longstaff, aka The Lake Poets, and magician Paul Lytton.

A welcome speech by Cllr Trueman highlighted the important relationship between city and club and, using his mayoral “authority”, declared Mr Louis-Dreyfus and his board “honorary Mackems.”

Les Scott added: “Huge thanks to everyone who came along to welcome Kyril and support the Foundation. It was a great night and I hope Kyril learned a lot about the city and what we’re about.”

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Zurich-born Mr Louis-Dreyfus was presented with a print of an LS Lowry painting. He has been in charge at the club since February 2021. At 24 he is the youngest chair in English football.

In 2021 his mother, Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, majority owner of agricultural commodities giant Louis-Dreyfus, was reported by Forbes as having a $3.3billion fortune.

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