Stevenage FC has named Barry Webber as the club’s new CEO.
Webber, who has been Commercial Director at West Ham United since May 2010, will officially join the League One club on January 2nd 2014. Upon taking the new role, Webber will become one of the youngest CEO’s in the Football League.
Stevenage won back-to-back promotions in 2009-10 and 2010-11, taking the club from the Conference to League One, and Webber’s appointment is part of owner Phil Wallace’s plans to increase attendances and gain promotion to the Championship. The club have come close in recent years, losing the League One play-off semi-final in 2011-12, and Webber’s arrival as CEO is seen as a key step in reaching the next level.
Stevenage were also the first ever club to win a competitive final at the new Wembley stadium, when they lifted the FA Trophy by beating Kidderminster Harriers 3-2 in front of 53,262 fans.
Webber brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having been Commercial Director at Newcastle United and West Ham, Sport Commercial Manager at AEG Sponsorship and Sponsorship Sales at the International Tennis Federation.
Speaking on the appointment, Webber said: “I have greatly enjoyed my time at West Ham and will leave with very fond memories of the club, the staff and the fans. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity at Stevenage with the Club having made great progress on and off the field and I am looking forward to expanding on what has already been achieved by the Club and its staff and I cannot wait to be a part of the club’s ambitious plans for the future.”
Phil Wallace said: “This appointment shows our determination to interact with large commercial interests in Stevenage to a much higher level, to build our home attendances and to increase our financial platform so that we may establish the club at Championship level. We have the infrastructure to achieve all of those targets and Barry has the energy, skill set and enthusiasm to drive that forwards as CEO."