By Matt Hardy
Former Citi investment banker Nikki Doucet has been appointed as chief executive of NewCo, a new company which will be formed of the Women’s Super League and Championship.
The deal will see the women’s professional game enter a new era.
Doucet spent three years as vice president, investment banking, global consumer and retail group at Citi before a eight-year stint at sport giant Nike.
Chair of the Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship Board, Dawn Airey, said: “We are delighted to have the unanimous backing of our 24 clubs regarding the NewCo proposal, and also to have appointed Nikki.
“Nikki is an exceptional talent, and we are thrilled that she is joining us. She’s a world class leader who combines extraordinary marketing skills with a background in finance and a deep love of sport – particularly women’s football.
“She is a visionary who passionately believes in the power of women’s football to help create positive change and a more equitable society – whilst also recognising the immense opportunity the game has to realise its financial potential.
“We look forward to her seminal contribution to the leagues, which have the eyes of the world on them.”
Baroness Sue Campbell, FA director of women’s football, said: “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.
“Each of our 24 clubs and the league itself wants the Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship to be setting the standards for women’s football around the world, and this venture into a new governing body is the next step in us achieving that ambition.
“Nikki is a very exciting appointment as chief executive – her passion, determination, experience, and acumen, coupled with the unified approach of our clubs, is the perfect combination as we look to the future with the NewCo.
“This is a historical moment for the women’s professional game in this country, and it is a move that will see our clubs and players make even bigger strides both on and off the pitch.”
NewCo will run a new-look women’s football structure in the UK with hopes of catapulting it into a global leader in the sports market.
