West Ham United’s Business Network brought together over 100 eminent business owners and experts at London Stadium on Wednesday morning, joined by West Ham United Vice-Chair Baroness Karren Brady CBE.
The gathering, powered by Intuit QuickBooks, offered a dynamic blend of panel discussions, industry insights and an inspirational audience with one of the UK’s most recognisable figures in football and business.
Hosted by Broadcaster and Hammers legend Scott Minto, the morning began with a lively panel led by Intuit QuickBooks—West Ham United’s Official Accounting Software Partner—spotlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by small and medium-sized businesses.
Intuit QuickBooks’ Martin Dyhouse took the reins as panel host, guiding contributions from professional services consultant Danny Weatherall, Nicola Savill of Moore Kingston Smith LLP, Mick Jennings of NWVA, and John Lucas of CLP Insurance.
The discussion was filled with practical advice on business growth, marketing strategies, and the looming realities of Income Tax Self-Assessment.
Guests then heard from Baroness Karren Brady, who opened up about her remarkable career trajectory and gave a captivating perspective on leadership gained from three decades in the football industry.
The Hammers Business Network, sponsored by Intuit QuickBooks, has been specially designed to foster a spirit of innovation and collaboration for businesses aligned with West Ham United.
Its members—ranging from major multinationals to firms in earlier stages of expansion—meet regularly to exchange ideas, discuss common goals and, ultimately, drive their enterprises forward.
Mick Jennings, Group CEO of NWVA, shared how the club’s move to the new stadium bolstered brand recognition for NWVA: “When West Ham opened up the stadium here, we saw an opportunity and we needed a platform to compete with some more well-known competitors.
Since partnering with West Ham United our brand awareness has gone through the roof.” John Lucas of CLP Insurance similarly noted the uplift from visibility on televised matches: “It’s going around the world and now we have people saying to us they saw us on the television, which is great for our international brand awareness.”
Reflecting on the event’s success, panel host Martin Dyhouse said: “It was fantastic to see a room full of enthusiastic, like-minded business people at London Stadium this morning as we hosted another fantastic event, empowering businesses to thrive.
The panel brought superb insights, advice, and stories of success that were truly inspiring. This is exactly what the Hammers Business Network is all about—creating a space for growth, collaboration, and innovation all with the vision of powering prosperity in the West Ham business community.”
Baroness Brady echoed that sentiment, praising the panel and the community ethos. “We do so much good in our communities, we are changing people’s lives through our values and purpose, and that is what leadership is all about,” she said.
The event arrived in the wake of the annual Deloitte Football Money League Report, which ranks West Ham United as the 17th most valuable club in world football, eighth in the Premier League.
The club’s on-pitch success in Europe, combined with stronger commercial partnerships, has helped lift overall revenue by 17% to €322 million this past year—a feat celebrated by all in attendance, who were keen to see the momentum continue, on and off the pitch.
If you are interested in joining future Hammers Business Network events and learning more about the exciting commercial opportunities at West Ham United that can support driving the outcomes of your business objectives, please contact our commercial team via [email protected].