Amy Edmondson
Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School | #1 Thinkers50 | Pioneer of Psychological Safety
Karren Brady
The 'First Lady of Football' & Vice-Chairman of West Ham United | Youngest Ever Managing Director of a UK PLC | Star of BBC's The Apprentice | Bestselling Author
Karren Brady, the 'First Lady of Football,' is one of Britain's most admired business leaders. At just 23 she became managing director of Birmingham City FC, and after floating it on the stock market she became the youngest-ever managing director of a UK plc. Now vice-chairman of West Ham United, a Sunday Times bestselling author, and a star of BBC's The Apprentice, she is a powerful voice on business, leadership, and women's success.
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Karren Brady biography
Business speaker Baroness Karren Brady, widely known as the “First Lady of Football,” is one of the most admired and recognizable business leaders in Britain. She built her reputation by breaking barriers: at just twenty-three, she was appointed managing director of Birmingham City Football Club, and after leading the club to a flotation on the London Stock Exchange in 1997, she became the youngest managing director of a UK public limited company. In doing so, she became a trailblazer for women in one of the most male-dominated industries in the world.
After sixteen years at Birmingham City, Brady became vice-chairman of West Ham United, a role she has held since 2010, overseeing one of the highest-profile clubs in the Premier League and its landmark move to the London Stadium. Beyond football, she is known to millions as the sharp, no-nonsense aide to Lord Alan Sugar on the BBC’s The Apprentice, and as the author of the Sunday Times bestseller Strong Woman: The Truth About Getting to the Top. She was appointed CBE for her services to entrepreneurship and women in business, and later made a life peer in the House of Lords.
A Trailblazer for Women in Business
Brady’s career is a story of resilience as much as achievement. She has thrived in boardrooms where few women had gone before, recovered from a brain aneurysm early in her career, and built a reputation for turning challenges into opportunities. A columnist and commentator, Brady has advised the UK government as a Small Business Ambassador and served on numerous boards, and she is one of the country’s most sought-after voices on entrepreneurship and gender equality. Her message, that success comes from hard work, self-belief, and refusing to accept limits, resonates with audiences of every kind.
As a speaker, Karren Brady is candid, witty, and genuinely inspiring, sharing the hard-won lessons of a remarkable career with honesty and warmth. She speaks on business leadership and success, women in business and breaking the glass ceiling, resilience and overcoming adversity, and the mindset it takes to reach and stay at the top. Whether addressing a boardroom, a leadership conference, or an International Women’s Day event, she leaves audiences motivated, empowered, and armed with practical wisdom for their own careers.
Karren Brady Speaking Videos
Inspiring Interview Speech Baroness Karren Brady 12 June 2026
Karren Brady: How To Win At Entrepreneurship & Love (at the same time!)
Karren Brady Keynote Topics
Drawing on her Sunday Times bestseller and an extraordinary career, Karren Brady shares the honest truth about what it takes to reach the top, and stay there. From running a football club at twenty-three to leading in some of the most competitive boardrooms in the country, she offers candid, practical lessons on ambition, decision-making, and self-belief. Inspiring and refreshingly straight-talking, it is a keynote that leaves every audience motivated to aim higher and back themselves.
As a pioneer in the male-dominated world of football and business, Karren Brady has spent her career proving what women can achieve, and confronting the barriers in their way. In this powerful keynote she shares her experiences of breaking through, the sexism she overcame, and what individuals and organizations can do to build a fairer, more equal workplace. A firm favorite for International Women's Day and women's leadership events, it is both galvanizing and genuinely useful.
What does it really take to lead and win in high-pressure, high-stakes environments? Karren Brady draws on decades running major businesses and football clubs to share her approach to leadership: how to make tough decisions, build winning teams, negotiate hard, and stay focused when the spotlight is on. Full of vivid real-world stories, it is an engaging, practical keynote for leaders and teams determined to perform at their best.
Karren Brady's success has never come easy, and in this candid keynote she shares how she has met adversity head-on, from proving herself in hostile boardrooms to recovering from a life-threatening brain aneurysm and rebuilding stronger. She explores where resilience comes from, how to stay determined through setbacks, and how challenges can become the making of us. An honest, moving, and ultimately uplifting talk about perseverance and the will to succeed.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Karren Brady
Why Karren Brady?
Booking Karren Brady brings audiences one of Britain's most admired and recognizable business leaders, a genuine trailblazer with a story that inspires. As the "First Lady of Football," the youngest-ever managing director of a UK plc, the vice-chairman of West Ham United, and a star of The Apprentice, she combines real business achievement at the highest level with a household-name profile. Candid, witty, and straight-talking, she connects her remarkable journey to practical lessons on leadership, resilience, and women's success that audiences can use right away. She is ideal for events on business and leadership, women in business, entrepreneurship, and International Women's Day. To bring Karren Brady to your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
Who is Karren Brady?
Karren Brady, Baroness Brady, is a British business executive, author, and television personality widely known as the "First Lady of Football." She became managing director of Birmingham City Football Club at just twenty-three and, after taking the club to a stock-market flotation in 1997, became the youngest managing director of a UK public limited company. Since 2010 she has been vice-chairman of West Ham United. She is well known to millions as the aide to Lord Alan Sugar on the BBC's The Apprentice, and is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller Strong Woman. She was appointed CBE for her services to entrepreneurship and women in business, and is a life peer in the House of Lords. She has also been a newspaper columnist and a Small Business Ambassador for the UK government.
Why is Karren Brady called the "First Lady of Football"?
Karren Brady earned the nickname "First Lady of Football" by becoming a pioneering woman at the very top of a sport, and industry, long dominated by men. In 1993, at the age of twenty-three, she was appointed managing director of Birmingham City FC, and in 2002 she became the first woman to hold such a position in the top flight of English football. She turned the club's fortunes around and oversaw its flotation on the stock market, becoming the youngest managing director of a UK plc. She later became vice-chairman of West Ham United, one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League. Across more than three decades in football and business, she has been a trailblazer and role model for women in sport and leadership, which is how the title came to define her.
What topics does business speaker Karren Brady cover?
Karren Brady speaks on business leadership and success, women in business and breaking the glass ceiling, resilience and overcoming adversity, and the mindset and determination it takes to reach the top. Her keynotes suit events on business and leadership, entrepreneurship, women's empowerment and International Women's Day, and motivation, for corporate and general audiences. To book Karren Brady as a speaker, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Karren Brady as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Karren Brady as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Karren Brady'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 Karren Brady or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Karren Brady speaking fee?
Karren Brady 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 Karren Brady 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 Karren Brady.
How can I contact Karren Brady?
We only work with Karren Brady on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Karren Brady and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Karren Brady 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 Karren Brady for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Karren Brady for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Karren Brady is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Karren Brady for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
