First woman to run top flight English football club tells city audience business is ‘very cruel on women’

Karren Brady, a former managing director of Birmingham Football Club and the current Vice Chair of the West Ham United board, was invited to speak in the city’s first Enterprise Week.

Speaking in the City Hotel she spoke sincerely about her passion for football, her children, and about the brain tumour that made her realise how much she loves her chosen career.

“I have two personalities, one for home and one for the office, and I make sure that one doesn’t drain the life out of the other one,” she said.

At the end of the talk Ms Brady took questions from the floor, giving the audience advice on boosting business and the challenges faced by women in the boardroom.

“It is a juggling act, business is very cruel on career women,” she admitted. “But my son plays for England,and my daughter is extremely creative and excellent at school because I’m a great mum, and I gave them their moral standard.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not a great mum just because you have a successful job.”