Guild Esports investors spooked as David Beckham’s agent steps down

One of David Beckham’s closest business associates has left the board of a company backed by the former England captain just over a month after dumping a role at one of his other corporate pursuits.

Dave Gardner, a sports agent who looks after Beckham’s business ventures, stepped down as a non-executive director of Guild Esports with ‘immediate effect’ to pursue other interests. 

His departure spooked investors, with the shares tumbling 15.1 per cent, or 0.24p, to 1.35p

Winning team: David Beckham, right, and his long-term friend Dave Gardner, left, who has stepped down as a non-executive director of Guild Esports with ‘immediate effect’

Beckham owns a 4.7 per cent stake in Guild, which manages teams that compete in video game tournaments. 

Gardner’s exit comes after he left the board of Cellular Goods in May. 

Cellular, in which Beckham has a 4.9 per cent stake through his vehicle DB Ventures, makes cannabis-based products. 

Shares in both firms have performed poorly since their debut on the London stock market, stinging many investors who were lured in by their association with the former Manchester United star.

Guild has lost over 80 per cent of its value since its debut in October 2020 while Cellular Goods has slumped 78 per cent since listing in February last year.

Gardner is a long-time friend of Beckham and is godfather to his eldest son Brooklyn.

He has two children with Lord Of The Rings actress Liv Tyler whom he met through supermodel Kate Moss. Beckham is a godparent of the couple’s son Sailor.

Gardner and Tyler were engaged to be married before it emerged in 2021 that they had split up after seven years together.