I’ve always been interested in football, but more on a national level than a local level originally.
Then my son became very involved in football from a very young age, he recently had trials with a League Two club as well, so I’m very much involved at a grassroots level now!
The co-director in my law firm, John Spyrou, then became an intermediary – a registered football agent – and we got involved in representing football players, dealing with sponsorship and all the other things that go along with being a footballer’s agent.
This was our first exposure into the commercial world of football. The speed and pace of the work involved, especially around moments like transfer deadline day was exciting and this was really my firm’s stepping stone to then acting for football clubs themselves and becoming truly involved in all aspects of the game.
I now work for a number of football clubs, ranging from League One and Two to the Championship and Premier League. That’s become my day-to-day work and I love it. My weekends are pretty much taken up watching football!
I'm keen to transfer the skills I bring to my legal firm as both a lawyer and a business woman to the FA, as well as those I have in my role as director for the Lily Foundation, a charity that is involved in research and finding a cure for Mitochondrial disease.
Although we are a relatively new charity, we are supported by a number of well-known sports personalities, as our ambassadors and sponsors.
I know the FA comes under criticism in terms of being under-represented in terms of women and diversity issues and I relish the opportunity to be involved and bring my objectiveness to the Board and the decisions that have to be taken. It will be challenging, but fun.
It’s very early days for me in my role as a director at the FA so it’s very important for me to understand what the Board’s objectives and plans are. The FA is at a critical time at the moment in terms of its governance and direction. I want to be a part of that team, to bring cohesion and help drive those objectives forwards.
I love the game, I love every part of what’s involved, it’s amazing how many different facets there are to football, so just to be involved in the business and governance aspect is what really excites me.
Find out more about a series of new initiatives and investments to impact the whole of English football.
