Birmingham City Football Club

Appointed as Managing Director in 1993 to oversee the day to day running of the Football Club and its business, Karren became the youngest Managing Director of a PLC when the Football Club successfully floated on the stock market in 1997. Birmingham City FC is amongst the few Premier League Football Clubs to record profits and have no debt. The club was sold in October 2009 for £82,000,000.

During her time at Birmingham she was involved heavily in supporting local community projects, including the launch of the Study Support Centre in 1999. A classroom within the stadium, which offers the opportunity for disadvantaged and under privileged local children and adults to receive personal tuition in basic education and computing in a fun based environment.

Received an award from Jack Straw for the Football Club’s involvement in the “Kick it Out” Campaign; a campaign to rid football of racism.

Initiated and launched the “Lone Parents Deal” in 1999 along with the Government and Birmingham City Council to encourage and invite single parents with their children to attend BCFC football matches at discounted rates.

Followed by the initiation and launch of the “School Dinners Deal” which allows local and financially disadvantaged children to attend football at BCFC for free.

Since her appointment as MD of Birmingham City Football Club she has gained valuable professional and personal experience in all areas of business, not limited to Football, and a wide experience of all aspects of business, which is believed to be the contributing factor to the successful turnaround and continual growth of the company, Birmingham City Football Club plc. She oversaw this organization from a company facing  recorded debts  in 1992 to a now a thriving business, which has a turnover in excess of £50 million and in profit and sold for £82,000,000 in October 2009.

She is on the board of Mothercare PLC where she also sits on both the audit and remuneration committees  and is also the Chairman of the Mothercare Group Foundation.

Karren joined the board of Channel 4 Television in 2004 and also Chairs the Remuneration Committee and sits on the Audit Committee.

She is also a Board member of Sport England, to assist and help participation in Sport on a wider scale in England.

In 2009 she was appointed Chairman of the England 2018 World Cup Advisory Board.

In January 2010 she was appointed the Vice-Chairman of West Ham United Football Club.

Running a business in a tough economic market means that she is  constructive and sympathetic with the executive members and assist them to find suitable and appropriate plans to move the companies forward.

Her relationships with  all respective companies are excellent.

She is also unique in that she is familiar and highly experienced in dealing with press and media issues and have written a number of books, the most recent is aimed at encouraging women in to business.

Directorships
Director of the Mothercare Group Foundation
Audit Committee Member of Mothercare PLC – 2003
Remuneration Committee Member of Mothercare PLC – 2003
Chairman or Kerrang! (EMAP) – 2002 - 2008
Non Executive Director of Channel 4 – 2004
Audit Committee Member of Channel 4 – 2004
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee Channel 4 – 2006
Board Member Sport England – 2005
Chairman of the Mothercare Group Foundation
Chairman of the England 2018 World Cup Bid advisory Board - 2009
Vice Chairman West Ham United - 2010

Personal Achievements
Business Woman of the Year – 2000
Midlands Woman of the Year – 2001
Twice recognized by The Queen; once in March 2003 as a top 100 'Women Achievers' and again in 2007 as one of the UK's Top 200 Women to Impact Business & Industry
Cosmopolitan Woman of the Year 2006
Business Woman of the Year – 2007
NatWest Spirit of Everywoman Award – 2008
2008 voted by Cosmopolitan as one of the 100 most powerful women in the world
2008 she was named as one of the top leadership role models in a national poll
2010 Recognized by Downing Street as one of the Women Business Leaders in UK
Voted by the Daily Mail newspaper as one of the most influential women in Britain
Voted Britain’s Most Inspirational Women by Good Housekeeping magazine.

Media Profile
2006 Team Leader on  BBC1’s The Apprentice, for Comic Relief, where she lead her team (Trinny Woodall, Jo Brand, Cheryl Cole and Maureen Lipman) to a resounding victory over the boys team (Alistair Campbell, Piers Morgan, Rupert Everett, Danny Baker and Ross Kemp) raising over £750k (the two teams together raising £1million for charity)

December 2007 Karren was a guest on Desert Island Discs

February 2008 saw the launch of Karren Brady’s ‘Today’s Business Woman’ magazine.

2007 and 2008 was an interviewer on BBC1 The Apprentice Series 4 and 5

2009, Karren presented a series of features for ITV1's GMTV called Just the Job, helping people back into work, and giving advice about looking for and retaining your job in this uncertain economic climate.  

2010 following appearances as one of Sir Alan Sugar’s interrogators on the popular BBC show ‘The Apprentice’, Karren is to replace Margaret Mountford as Sir Alan’s right-hand woman in the forthcoming Series 6

2010 Front Cover Marie Claire Magazine featuring the 10 most powerful women in the UK


Key Skills
Energy
Drive
Enthusiasm
Confidence
Leadership