Karren Brady, star of BBC’s The Apprentice and Vice-Chairman of West Ham United Football Club, delivered her keynote speech to a packed audience on day one of International Confex at Olympia London.
Karren's six-point plan for business success was a highlight of the speech and asserted that leadership, ambition, determination, attitude, direction and being positive were essential for success in the business world.
During her speech Karren talked about her path through the footballing world; explaining how she joined Birmingham City Football Club in 1993 as a 23 year-old with the club in administration. She amusingly told how one of her first questions at her opening press conference was on her vital stats.
Now at West Ham United FC, she oversees the 8th highest income of a UK football club, with the club now sitting 10th in the Premier League.
Explaining her business methods she said that she asks all employees to work with her personally for a day and encourages all 800 staff members at the Hammers to know every part of the business, and this includes asking the millionaire footballers to work once a month in the club’s ticket office.
Sighting a good leader she named her hero Martin Luther King - who said that ’good leaders show their strength in times of challenge not moments of comfort.’
