Baroness (Karren) Brady

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Karren ran the business side of Birmingham City FC through promotion, relegation – and brain surgery. Karren’s mantra for leaders growing any enterprise can be summed up in 5 tips: work hard (be persistent); use every opportunity to network (spread your message); move on (failure is history); don’t get side-tracked, and do your sums.


Biography

Karren Brady, businesswoman, peer, ‘first lady of football’, and Alan Sugar’s aide on The Apprentice, became MD of Birmingham City at the age of just twenty-three, and is now one of the UK’s best known business personalities.

After starting out in advertising, Karren’s first contact with David Sullivan, then owner of Sport Newspapers, was through selling him airtime on LBC. So impressed was the businessman that he employed Karren and she was quickly appointed a director. Upon hearing that Birmingham City had gone into receivership and was for sale for £1, she famously persuaded David that she could run the club. He bought it and installed Karren as Managing Director.

Within twelve months Karren had turned the club around, recording a profit. In four years, she became the youngest MD of a PLC when the business was floated with a value of £25million. She steered the club to huge successes. When she left the club when it was sold for £81million.

When David Sullivan and his business partner David Gold bought West Ham United, Karren was appointed Vice-Chairman. Following her first twelve months there, 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. She secured a move for the club to the former Olympic Stadium in London.

Karren was awarded a CBE for her contribution to women in business and entrepreneurship; and became a Peer in House of Lords taking the title Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge CBE. In her characteristically no-nonsense but entertaining way, Karren speaks about running the business side of a major football club - through promotion, relegation, controversy and even brain surgery. Known for her resilience and focus, she describes how to combat fear of failure and energise the team, and why hunger is always your most valuable asset regardless of your organisation or industry.

Karren has been awarded Cosmopolitan’s Woman of the Year and named in the category of Woman Who Has Changed the World.  She has also been awarded CEO of the Year Award at the Football Business Awards, and BBC Women’s Hour called her one of the 100 most powerful women in the United Kingdom. She has written autobiographies, business books and novels, and has written for a range of national

Videos

Conference Speaker Karren Brady on Change Management

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Books

Book written by Baroness (Karren) Brady CBE
Book written by Baroness (Karren) Brady CBE
Book written by Baroness (Karren) Brady CBE

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JLA Presents


Event - 30/04/2024 - 9:00 am

Speakers Breakfast

Understanding AI Now

Speakers
Priya Lakhani and Anne-Marie Imafidon

We were joined at 87 Barts Close by three brilliant speakers on a panel that delved into the complex world of Artificial Intelligence. Over the hour our panellists de-mystified AI, speaking about AI’s immense promise for enhancing our lives, alongside the apprehension it has generated regarding job security, privacy infringement, and ethical considerations.

Location

87 Barts Close, 87 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1A 7EB

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Event - 06/02/2024 - 9:00 am

Speakers Breakfast

Looking Ahead to International Women’s Day

Speakers
Samira Ahmed, Eniola Aluko, Julia Gillard, and Alex Mahon

We were joined by four fantastic speakers to look ahead at International Women’s Day. With the theme of this year’s event being #InspireInclusion, we were lucky enough to hear from four women who have each blazed a trail in their respective fields: CEO of Channel 4, Alex Mahon; the former Australian Prime Minister and Chair of Kings’ Global Institute of Women’s Leadership, Julia Gillard; one of the leading voices in football, Eniola Aluko MBE; and broadcaster and journalist, Samira Ahmed.

Location

Bishopsgate Institute, London

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