Former TV boss Dawn Airey appointed chair of women’s football NewCo
Serial media chief Dawn Airey has been chosen to chair the NewCo that will run the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship when it separates from the Football Association this summer.
Airey, who has been chief executive of Channel 5 and Getty Images as well as holding senior roles at BSkyB, ITV and Yahoo, has chaired England’s two professional women’s football leagues since joining the FA in 2019.
“I’m delighted to be continuing my position as Chair of the Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship board,” she said.
“As we move into this new and exciting era for the women’s professional game with the NewCo, I’m very proud to remain on this journey with our clubs.
“We’ve achieved so much already in the past five years or so, but this truly is only the start of our growth as a women’s football collective in the UK.
“It will be an honour to work alongside our clubs and the league as we continue to develop the best women’s leagues and competitions in the world, both on and off the pitch, over the coming years and beyond.”
Airey’s expertise in TV and digital media is an obvious asset as the women’s game looks to further grow its fanbase and commercial appeal as a fully independent enterprise.
She is also credited with a key role in implementing a three-year strategy for the WSL and Championship since 2021, which has focused on talent, audience and finance.
Airey will work alongside NewCo chief executive Nikki Doucet, a former Citigroup banker and manager of Nike’s women’s range in the UK and Ireland, who was appointed last month.
“The women’s professional game is in the strongest place that it has ever been thanks to the hard work of everybody involved in its development so far, but we firmly believe that the NewCo will take it to another level entirely,” said Baroness Sue Campbell, the FA’s Director of Women’s Football.
Airey, 63, remains a non-executive of Channel 4, property group Grosvenor Estates and internet video platform Blackbird and is chair of the National Youth Theatre.