Lady Karren Brady's Biography

Who is Karren Brady of The Apprentice?

Karren Brady was born on 4 April 1969 to an Italian mother, Rita, and an Irish father, Terry, who is a self-made publisher.

She was brought up in Edmonton, north London.

Karren Brady went to a convent school in Hertfordshire and a boarding school in Elstree and then went straight from school to working at Saatchi & Saatchi.

As well as working at Saatchi's, Karren Brady worked at LBC Radio before joining David Sullivan's Sport Newspapers.

Then aged just 23, David Sullivan together with the Gold brothers gave Karren Brady a huge break when they appointed her managing director of Birmingham City in March 1993.

When Birmingham City were floated on the stock exchange in 1997, Karren Brady became the youngest managing director of a UK plc.

As well as being MD at Birmingham City, Karren Brady is on the board of Mothercare, Sport England, Kerrang Radio and Channel 4.

In 2006, Karren Brady had a 5-hour operation to repair a brain aneurysm.

She is married to Paul Peschisolido, who has played for numerous clubs including Birmingham City.

Karren Brady is often seen in the media and her TV appearances include stints on The Apprentice You're Fired and, of course, The Apprentice itself, in which she took over as an aide to Lord Sugar, replacing Margaret Mountford, in 2010.

In an interview with The Observer, Karren Brady said:

"Always employ people who are better than you, and you prove you're better than them."

Karren Brady has written a book Playing To Win: Ten Steps To Achieving Your Goals.

Additionally she has written novels such as United and Trophy Wives.

In April 2008, Karren Brady and David Sullivan were arrested by City of London Police and were later released on bail.

On 7 August 2009, the BBC reported that according to their solicitor, David Sullivan and Karren Brady had been cleared of tax irregularities following a two-year inquiry.

In August 2009, it was revealed that Karren Brady would replace Margaret Mountford, who was retiring as an adviser to Lord Sugar on The Apprentice.

On 19 January 2010, it was announced that David Gold and David Sullivan had taken control of West Ham United and that Karren Brady would join the club as vice-chairman.

She went on to become CEO of West Ham United Football Club, as well as Senior Non-Executive Director of Syco Entertainment and Taveta Investments, owner of Topshop.

In September 2013, it was announced that Karren Brady was to be the Government's Small Business Ambassador. In 2014, she was made Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge.

In 2019, she stepped down as non-executive Chairman of Taveta, the holding company for Sir Philip Green's Arcadia group.

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