Karen Brady, the most powerful female executive in English football, has stepped down as vice-chairman of West Ham to focus on other business interests and her role in the House of Lords.
Brady, 57, had been manager at Birmingham City since the early 1990s as part of a long association with then-club owner David Sullivan.
The pair later worked together at West Ham, where Mr Sullivan is majority owner and Mr Brady has been vice-chairman since 2010. She was instrumental in the club’s move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016 and is seen as influential in the Premier League’s male-dominated shareholder community.
Brady has been a member of the House of Lords since 2014, when she was given the title Baroness, and has appeared on the hit TV series The Apprentice.
West Ham said in a statement that it would focus on these roles as well as “mentoring and leadership initiatives” as part of its wider business interests.
“While this chapter is coming to a close, my passion for soccer and my determination to support the next generation of leaders remains undiminished,” said Brady, who is married to former Canadian soccer player Paul Peschisolido.
“I wish West Ham United every success in the future and look forward to watching their continued achievements with pride.”
West Ham co-chairman Daniel Krzetinski said Brady was “very highly regarded in the Premier League coaching community and has been an excellent representative of our club there”.
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