Brighton & Hove Albion appoint new chief executive

Former Spurs director Paul Barber has been appointed as the new chief executive of Brighton and Hove Albion.

Mr Barber, 45, joins the club on Monday 18 June, having spent the past two years as chief executive of the Vancouver Whitecaps in Canada. Like Albion, the Whitecaps have recently moved to a bigger stadium.

Before his five years as executive director at Tottenham Hotspur, Mr Barber worked as the commercial director of the Football Association and as the FA’s director of marketing and communications.

He replaces Ken Brown, who has left the club, and Martin Perry. Mr Perry will continue to oversee the expansion of the Amex Community Stadium and the plans for a training complex in Lancing before retiring.

Albion chairman Tony Bloom said: “The board’s aim was to bring in a top-class chief executive and Paul fits that criteria.

“He has a great deal of high-level experience across a number of sectors but most importantly has a great CV in terms of football.

“Having worked for the FA, Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS (Major League Soccer), he has excellent knowledge and experience of the commercial, marketing and communications side of the game here in the UK and overseas.

“Paul also has an extensive network of contacts across the football industry, which will be of great benefit to the club as we strive to progress.”

Mr Barber said: “I am delighted to be joining such an ambitious and well-run club with such a dedicated owner and board of directors.

“The club has made great progress on and off the pitch and I am looking forward to expanding on what has already been achieved by the club and its staff in moving from Withdean to the excellent Amex Stadium.”

Mr Barber was a member of the England national team’s official party to the FIFA World Cup in Japan and Korea in 2002 and to the European Championships in 2000 and 2004.

During his time with the FA he was also responsible for organising England’s fixtures around the country while Wembley Stadium was redeveloped.

Mr Barber was born, raised and educated in London and is an FA-qualified coach.