Brady and Sullivan to quit Birmingham

Karren Brady, the most high-profile woman involved in English football, will leave her post as chief executive of Birmingham City once Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung takes over the club.

Chairman David Sullivan also announced on Wednesday that he was planning to end a long association with the club once Yeung’s Grandtop International has completed a buyout of other shareholders, which is expected to happen next month.

Brady has begun to forge a new career in television, working on the BBC’s hit show ‘The Apprentice’.

“It was a hard decision for me to make to leave the club after so long but, with the new change in ownership, I feel the time will be right for me to move on and pursue my other ventures,” she said.

“Grandtop have asked me to retain my position as CEO but I honestly feel they must be allowed to stamp their own mark on the club and I believe that this is best done without the current board looking over their shoulder.”

Yeung already owns 29.9 percent of the club with the major shareholders all having committed to selling to him and is expected to complete the takeover in early October.