Baroness Karren Brady Steps Down As West Ham United Vice-Chair After 16 Years

Baroness Karren Brady has stepped down as vice-chair of Premier League club West Ham United after 16 years, ending a long-running role that began when she was appointed in January 2010 by then joint-chairs David Sullivan and David Gold.

“- Published Baroness Karren Brady has stepped down as vice-chair of Premier League club West Ham after 16 years”

BBC

The BBC reported that Brady left on 15 April, after telling the Times she had made the decision to leave in mid-February and had first started considering it in January.

BBC

In a statement, Brady said: "It has been a privilege to work alongside the board, management, players, staff and supporters at West Ham United."

She added: "Together we have achieved remarkable milestones, but the highlight for me will always be lifting the Uefa Europa Conference League trophy - a moment that will stay with me forever."

Brady also said: "I am deeply grateful for the relationships, challenges and opportunities that have shaped my time at the club."

AFP reported that her decision “also ends a long association with West Ham co-owner David Sullivan” that dates back to when she persuaded Sullivan and the late David Gold to buy Birmingham City in 1993.

West Ham’s own club statement said she had led negotiations to secure the club’s move to the London Stadium and would continue to focus on broader business interests, including contributions in the House of Lords and mentoring and leadership initiatives.

Brady’s tenure at West Ham is closely tied to the club’s move from Upton Park to the London Stadium, a transition repeatedly described as controversial and framed as a defining off-pitch achievement.

Sky News said West Ham completed their move from Upton Park to the London Stadium, built as the flagship venue for the 2012 Olympic Games, during her time at the club, and it noted that Brady leaves with West Ham in a relegation-battling 17th place.

Flashscore

The BBC said Brady oversaw the club's move from Upton Park to London Stadium in 2016, beating Tottenham to secure the tenancy, and it linked that decision to later on-field outcomes including European success.

West Ham’s club statement said Brady “led the negotiations to secure the Club’s move to the London Stadium,” and it specified that the process delivered the transition to a 62,500-capacity stadium.

The Times similarly credited her with leading negotiations to secure West Ham’s move from Upton Park to the 62,500-seat London Stadium in 2016.

AFP added that the London Stadium had hosted the athletics and the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2012 Olympics, and it described securing the stadium as propelling West Ham into the top 20 wealthiest clubs in the world, according to Deloitte.

On the field, multiple outlets tied her legacy to the club’s Europa Conference League win in 2023, with the BBC saying West Ham won the 2022-23 Conference League, their first major trophy since 1980.

Brady’s departure drew immediate statements from West Ham leadership that emphasized her contribution, while other reporting highlighted the scale of supporter hostility she faced.

“Baroness Karren Brady steps down as West Ham's vice president”

Goal

Sky News quoted joint chair Daniel Kretinsky thanking Brady for “her contribution to West Ham United's growth,” saying it “has been absolutely essential and not always fully appreciated,” and it quoted chairman David Sullivan calling her “an exceptional leader and a key figure in the club's development over the years.”

The New York Times reported that Sullivan said: “Karren has been an exceptional leader and a key figure in the club’s development over the years,” and it added that Kretinsky said her contribution “has been absolutely essential and not always fully appreciated.”

The BBC described how some West Ham fans had frequently protested against Brady and co-owner Sullivan, including during the current season, with on-field performances and dissatisfaction with the stadium among their complaints.

AFP said Brady “also attracted a lot of abuse as she highlighted in 2019,” quoting her: "Curses have been spat at me, abuse sung and chanted at me -- by phone, on paper, and latterly in social media," and it added: "Truly, knowing what I know now, I don't think I would have bothered."

In the same AFP report, Brady suggested football had not yet seen the last of her, saying: "While this chapter closes, my passion for football and commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders remains undiminished."

The club statement also framed her continued involvement, saying she would continue “continuing her longstanding role on television series The Apprentice.”

While all outlets agreed on Brady stepping down as vice-chair after 16 years, they framed the significance of her exit through different lenses—leadership continuity, boardroom power shifts, and financial or sporting pressure.

The BBC emphasized her role in major decisions and the club’s trajectory, saying she oversaw the move to London Stadium in 2016 and the Declan Rice transfer to Arsenal for £105m, while also noting West Ham’s league position and the protests against her.

Newham Recorder

Sky News focused on the club’s immediate context, stating Brady leaves with West Ham in 17th place after a draw with Crystal Palace on Monday night, and it quoted the club’s statement about her continuing “non-executive roles” and “contributions in the House of Lords.”

The Guardian, by contrast, treated her departure as part of a broader internal power story, saying Brady stepped down but Sullivan was “going nowhere” as Kretinsky moved to up stake, and it described deals to buy a portion of the Gold family’s 25.1% stake.

The Guardian also reported that Kretinsky is expected to own more than 40% of the club and that Sullivan is also purchasing part of the Gold shares, with both expected each to own more than 40%.

The New York Times and The Times both tied the exit to the club’s relegation battle and to financial strain, with The Times saying West Ham lost £104.2million before tax in accounts for the year ending May 31, 2025, and it reported a decrease in revenue of £42.1million.

The New York Times said West Ham are currently 17th in the Premier League, two points above Tottenham Hotspur and the relegation zone, with five rounds of matches remaining.

Brady’s exit lands as West Ham face a tight Premier League fight, and reporting across outlets ties the departure to the club’s leadership and staffing changes in the same period.

“Trailblazer Karren Brady steps down from West Ham role London (AFP) – Karren Brady, who blazed a trail for women executives in English football, has stepped down as vice-chair of Premier League strugglers West Ham bringing down the curtain on her 16 years at the club”

RFI

The BBC said West Ham have spent 14 consecutive seasons in the Premier League but are in danger of relegation, sitting just two points clear of 18th-placed Tottenham with five matches to play, and it placed Brady’s departure in the context of ongoing fan protests.

RFI

Sky News said Brady leaves with West Ham in 17th place, two points above Tottenham Hotspur after a draw with Crystal Palace on Monday night, and it noted that West Ham’s statement said she would continue to focus on “non-executive roles” and “contributions in the House of Lords.”

The Guardian added that Brady’s departure was followed by other departures, saying the chief finance officer, Andy Mollett, is retiring at the end of the season and that executive director Nathan Thompson stepped down with immediate effect.

The Times also reported that West Ham announced on Tuesday that executive director Nathan Thompson stepped down after 9½ years, and it said a statement described his work delivering “record-breaking commercial growth across partnerships, hospitality, retail and ticketing.”

The Times further said it “also understands that Andy Mollett, West Ham’s chief financial officer, is retiring at the end of the season.”

The club statement itself, while focused on Brady’s own future, still signaled continuity by saying she would continue “mentoring, and leadership initiatives” and “contributions in the House of Lords,” even after stepping down.