Paul Barber OBE

Paul Barber OBE is the CEO and deputy chairman of Premier League football club Brighton & Hove Albion FC. An experienced businessman, he has also held senior positions at multiple global football organisations, including The Football Association, Tottenham Hotspur FC, and Vancouver Whitecaps. As a keynote speaker, he draws on his wealth of business experience to deliver talks on topics such as vision, identity, values, succession planning and data-driven recruitment. Bringing exceptional value to conferences, events and leadership summits, Paul engages audiences with practical insights on optimising performance and elevating their businesses.  

Paul's early career was spent in senior commercial roles at blue-chip organisations such as Barclays Bank and the US-based advertising agency, Ogilvy & Mather. From there, he transitioned into the football industry, serving as the Executive Director and main board member at Tottenham Hotspur FC. He later became the CEO of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, making him the first British football executive to lead a club into Major League Soccer. In 2012, he joined Brighton & Hove Albion FC as Chief Executive Officer, supporting the club to its highest league finish in over 30 years. In 2017, Brighton & Hove FC secured an automatic promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history. 

Paul’s leadership at Brighton & Hove Albion, where he is the second-largest shareholder, helped the club achieve a British Premier League record profit of £122.8 million in 2023. In partnership with majority owner Tony Bloom, Paul has been instrumental in ensuring that the club's success is built on a clear vision and values, investment in key infrastructure and people, succession planning, financial planning and data-driven player recruitment. 

Alongside his role at Brighton & Hove Albion FC, Paul is a Non-Executive Director for the advocacy group Women in Football, Non-Executive Director of Melbourne Victory FC and Non-Executive Chairman of the youth education charity, Football Beyond Borders. For his outstanding work within the industry, he has been named European Sports Executive of the Year at the Stadium Business Awards, Premier League CEO of the Year at the Football Business Awards and presented with the Off Pitch Award at the Women's Football Awards. 

With proven success in optimising organisations, Paul is hired to transform how businesses operate and perform. His practical strategies inspire business leaders to strengthen their teams, drive growth and achieve long-term success. He regularly delivers talks and presentations in the UK and overseas, including for organisations such as British Airways, ASOS, Barclays, American Express, Corinthia Hotels, MOTO Motorway Services and National Air Traffic Services (NATS), focusing on how to create high-performance environments. Secure Paul Barber OBE with Champions Speakers today!