Suzanne Lee
Founder & CEO of Biofabricate | TED Senior Fellow | Pioneer of Biocouture & Biofabrication | Designer, Author, Sustainable Materials Innovator
Eniola Aluko
Co-founder of Mercury 13 | Board Member, Como Women FC | Former Sporting Director, Angel City FC | Broadcaster, ITV/BBC/Sky Sports | Author
Former England and Chelsea striker turned football executive and investor. Speaker Eniola Aluko is co-founder of Mercury 13, board member of Como Women FC, and a broadcaster for ITV, BBC, and Sky Sports. Organizations book Eniola Aluko to hear a journey from international football to multi-million-dollar investment — and to learn how to build winning cultures, challenge discrimination, and turn adversity into advantage.
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Eniola Aluko biography
Sports speaker Eniola Aluko MBE is one of the most influential voices in global women’s football. A former England and Chelsea striker turned executive and investor, speaker Eniola Aluko is a co-founder of Mercury 13, a $100M investment group acquiring and developing women’s football clubs across Europe and Latin America. She became the first African woman on the board of an Italian top-flight women’s football club, Como Women, and the first Black woman to own a professional football club in Italy.
On the pitch, Eniola made her name as a fast, clinical forward. She won multiple English league titles and was Chelsea’s top scorer. After moving to Italy with Juventus, she helped the club win the Serie A title in her debut season. A mainstay of TeamGB at London 2012 and the England women’s team during a pivotal period of growth, she earned more than 100 international caps and later became the first female pundit on BBC’s Match of the Day.
Executive leadership, advocacy, and a career beyond the game
A qualified solicitor, Eniola served as sporting director of Aston Villa Women before becoming the first-ever sporting director of Angel City FC in Los Angeles. Beyond Mercury 13 and Como Women, she is a board advisor to MediaCom’s Creative Systems unit, a UN Women UK ambassador, and a sought-after broadcaster for ITV, BBC, and Sky Sports. She is the author of They Don’t Teach This, a powerful personal account of identity, resilience, and teamwork, and has been inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. She was also a central figure in exposing discrimination and racism inside the England set-up, refusing to be silenced and sparking lasting change at the FA.
As a speaker, Eniola Aluko shows senior audiences how to build high-performance cultures that hold leaders accountable while protecting people. She draws on her journey from pitch to boardroom — and from whistleblower to club owner — to help organizations lead with courage, challenge bias, and turn adversity into competitive advantage.
Eniola Aluko Speaking Videos
Eniola Aluko: 'Racism in Football Needs Harsher Punishments'
Eniola Aluko
Eniola Aluko Keynote Topics
Eniola Aluko explores how leaders create environments where people from every background can do their best work. Drawing on experiences inside elite football clubs, national teams, and executive boardrooms, she explains why diversity without genuine inclusion is wasted potential. She walks audiences through the behaviors that quietly kill engagement, the role of senior leaders in holding up standards, and the practices that turn a diverse team into a sustainably high-performing one. The session is designed for executives, HR leaders, and board members serious about culture.
Women's sport is now one of the fastest-growing commercial and cultural sectors in the world — and Eniola Aluko has been on the front line of that shift as a player, sporting director, and investor. In this keynote, she unpacks the systemic barriers that have held women back, the commercial opportunities business leaders should understand, and what real equity looks like beyond slogans. Audiences gain a front-row view of a transformation that is reshaping media, sponsorship, and leadership far beyond football.
Performing for England at a World Cup, winning titles in three different leagues, and stepping into executive roles at the highest level all demand the same thing: a ruthless, resilient mindset. Eniola Aluko shares the mental routines and leadership habits that kept her performing under pressure, from handling setbacks and public criticism to preparing for the biggest moments of her career. The keynote gives audiences practical tools for their own high-stakes environments, whether that is a sales meeting, a board presentation, or a company turnaround.
Eniola Aluko's career has been shaped by adversity — some of it hers, some of it she chose to confront on behalf of others. In this deeply personal keynote, she talks about the physical and emotional toll of speaking out against discrimination at the FA, the cost of not backing down, and what she learned about leadership, identity, and resilience along the way. Audiences leave with a sharper sense of what courage looks like in practice and why the hardest conversations are usually the most valuable ones.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Eniola Aluko
Why Eniola Aluko?
Few speakers bring Eniola Aluko's range: 100-plus caps for England, league titles across three countries, a first-of-its-kind stint as an NWSL sporting director, co-founder of a nine-figure investment group, board member of an Italian top-flight club, qualified solicitor, author, and trusted broadcaster. That combination gives her credibility with executives, leadership teams, and diversity champions alike. Her keynotes are blunt, warm, and packed with hard-won lessons about performance, bias, and courage. Book Eniola Aluko through Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring a rare voice on leadership and sport to your next major event.
What is Mercury 13?
Mercury 13 is a women's football investment group co-founded by Eniola Aluko, with plans to acquire and develop a portfolio of women's football clubs across Europe and Latin America. The group's first move was taking a controlling stake in the Italian club Como Women, making Eniola Aluko the first Black woman to own a professional football club in Italy. Mercury 13's wider thesis is that women's football is one of the most undervalued and fastest-growing assets in global sport, and that long-term capital, smart operations, and strong leadership can accelerate the commercial and competitive rise of the women's game.
What did Eni Aluko expose at the FA?
Eniola Aluko was a central figure in a high-profile case that exposed discrimination and racism within the England women's national team set-up and broader failings at the Football Association. Despite intense personal and public pressure, she refused to stay silent and gave testimony that triggered independent inquiries and lasting reforms inside English football. The case became a reference point for how elite sports organizations handle bullying, bias, and whistleblowing, and for how individual players can hold governing bodies to account. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Eniola Aluko to your stage.
Is Eniola Aluko the first female pundit on Match of the Day?
Yes. Eniola Aluko became the first female pundit to appear on the BBC's Match of the Day, one of the most iconic football broadcasts in the world. Her appearance was part of a wider shift in how women's voices have been included in the coverage of men's and women's football. She has since worked as a pundit and analyst for ITV, Sky Sports, BT Sport, and the BBC, and is a regular voice on African football and the commercial evolution of the women's game.
How to book Eniola Aluko as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Eniola Aluko as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Eniola Aluko's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Eniola Aluko or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Eniola Aluko speaking fee?
Eniola Aluko speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Eniola Aluko to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Eniola Aluko.
How can I contact Eniola Aluko?
We only work with Eniola Aluko on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Eniola Aluko and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Eniola Aluko speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Eniola Aluko for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Eniola Aluko for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Eniola Aluko is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Eniola Aluko for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
