After Dinner SpeakersKarren Brady – Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge CBE is one of the UK’s most high-profile female business leaders.
Her natural wit, honest and down-to-earth approach, witnessed by millions through her starring role on The Apprentice, has made her one of the world’s most sought-after motivational business speakers.
Often referred to as ‘the First Lady of Football’, Baroness Brady is one of the most recognisable women in football. She is currently Vice-Chair of West Ham United FC.
Karren Brady Career:
Born in Edmonton, North London, Karren started a career in advertising sales straight after leaving school.
Initially, starting at Saatchi & Saatchi, she swiftly moved to LBC as a sales executive before joining David Sullivan’s Sport Newspapers Ltd, becoming a Director within a year.
In 1993, at 23, she was appointed MD of Birmingham City FC – when the club was in administration. Karren became the youngest managing director of a UK plc four years later when she floated the club on the London Stock Exchange.
After turning Birmingham City FC around, Karren successfully negotiated the club’s sale in 2009 for £82 million.
In 2010, Baroness Brady was appointed Vice-Chairman of West Ham United FC and led a successful bid for the club’s move to the iconic 60,000-seat Olympic Stadium in London.
Under her leadership, West Ham has become one of the fastest-growing brands in world football.
“Karren’s story is an inspiration to women everywhere. She is a champion for women. Her story explains to others how to find that balance between family and being a top businesswoman at work.”
Lord Alan Sugar
Karren Brady Appointments and Awards:
Karren’s wealth of experience and passion for supporting entrepreneurs and businesses led to her appointment as the prime minister’s Small Business Ambassador in 2013.
Subsequently, Karren has won many awards for services to business, including:
- Business Woman of the Year
- Most Inspirational Woman of the Year
- Spirit of Everywoman Award
Furthermore, in December 2013, Karren was awarded a CBE for services to Women in Business and Entrepreneurship. The Prime Minister later elevated her to the House of Lords, taking the title Baroness Karren Brady of Knightsbridge.
Karren Brady Books:
To date, Karren has written five books; these include novels and business titles. Karren’s most recent book, Strong Woman, traces her incredible rise from selling ad space to running a Premier League football club.
Strong Woman tells how she balances her personal life with her professional life and priorities – her life as a wife to her husband Paul Peschisolido and mother to her daughter Sophia and son Paolo.
Television, Radio and Press:
Karren is a columnist for The Sun newspaper and a columnist for Women & Home.
Karren was the subject of a BBC1 documentary, ‘Inside Story’ – The Real Life Manageress’. She regularly appears on prime-time shows such as The Jonathan Ross Show and Piers Morgan’s Life Stories.
Following her appearance as one of Lord Alan Sugar’s interrogators on The Apprentice in 2010, Karren replaced Margaret Mountford as Lord Sugar’s right-hand woman.
Karren also starred in the ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ for Comic Relief.
Furthermore, Karren presented ITV1’s ‘Give It A Year, ‘ where she met entrepreneurs who started new businesses.
Karren Brady – Motivational Speaker:
Passionate and straight-talking, Karren Brady has become one of the business world’s most in-demand motivational speakers.
Presented as a fireside chat or interview, Karren discusses her unstoppable success with plenty of insights, advice and anecdotes from her colourful career in football, publishing and business leadership.
Fireside Chat Topics covered include:
- Change Management
- Leadership
- Sport & Business
- Business
- Entrepreneurship
- Management
- Women in Business
Visit Karren’s Official Website: www.karrenbrady.com
For further information, please get in touch with Karren Brady’s agent:
Gordon Poole: gordon@gordonpoole.com
