Karren Brady

The First Lady of Football

Known as the `First Lady of Football`, Karren Brady was the youngest Managing Director of a PLC in the UK and remains the only female MD of a Premiership football club. She explains how the whole business of football has changed beyond recognition in the eleven years that she has been MD at Birmingham. It is no longer just about sport, it is about big business, retail, marketing, pay-per-view and also about innovative community projects.

Karren`s unique position has attracted a lot of media attention. She has proved the doubting, chauvinistic hacks wrong and in her first year in charge Birmingham FC recorded a financial trading profit and three years later, “Blues” made their first overall profit for the first time in modern history. In 2003, Birmingham City FC was amongst the few Premiership Clubs to record a profit (£4 million).

Karren's first-hand knowledge of key business requirements such as leadership, motivation, team-building, change and business development have made her an ideal speaker for any organisation, looking to improve their performance and bottom line. Karren can also focus on the lighter issues of her experiences as a woman in a male dominated business to create amusing after dinner presentations.