Karren Brady – Keynote Speaker

Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge CBE is the vice chairman of West Ham United, a Peer in the House of Lords and features next to Lord Sugar as his advisor on the BBC hit show The Apprentice. In 2013 she was awarded a CBE for her contribution to women in business and entrepreneurship. She has won numerous awards and accolades – not least being named one of the most powerful people in sport, Businesswoman of the Year and most influential people in business in the UK.

Karren Brady is recognised as the first woman in football. She was Managing Director of Birmingham City Football Club from 1993 until 2009 and, during that time, turned the Club’s fortunes around. She took over when Birmingham City was in administration and, in her first year at the helm, the Club recorded a financial trading profit. In 1996 the Club made an overall profit for the first time in modern history and in February 1997 she launched the Club on the Stock market; Karren was the youngest Managing Director of a PLC in the UK. In October 2009 Karren sold Birmingham City FC for £82million.

In January 2010, Karren was appointed Vice Chairman of West Ham United FC. Following her first twelve months at West Ham, the Club made a trading profit for the first time in its recent history. Karren has since grown all revenue streams at the Club exponentially. Under her leadership, West Ham has seen an overall income growth of 300%, now valued at £1billion – propelling it to the 14th most Valuable club in the world, and 7th most valuable in the Premier League.

In January 2013 she secured a move for the Club to the former Olympic Stadium in London. The stadium was named winner of Stadium of the Year (2017) and its sold out capacity of 62,500 boasts the highest number of season ticket holders in the Premier League.

Karren has led the West Ham United brand to become one of the fastest growing brands in global football, and in the top 20 of all leading football brands in the world, with an AA brand rating and a brand value of $616 million (Forbes, 2019).

In December 2013, she was awarded a CBE for her contribution to women in business and entrepreneurship; and the following August she became a Peer in House of Lords taking the title Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge CBE.