Everton FC welcome new face to board of directors

Everton have announced the appointment of Dr Denise Barrett-Baxendale MBE to the EFC board.

Denise joined Everton six years ago as chief executive of the club’s charity, Everton in the Community, and went on to become chief operating officer of the Toffees in 2011.

In 2013 she took on the role of deputy chief executive and, since then, Denise has worked alongside EFC’s chief executive and board of directors to bring various off-the-field strategies to fruition.

In a statement on Everton’s website, Denise said: “I am so proud to have been invited to join the Club’s Board and I am very grateful to Mr Kenwright and Mr Moshiri for giving me the opportunity to help achieve the owners’ and Directors’ ambition for Everton.

“This is something I am really excited by and a responsibility I take very seriously.”

She added: “There is so much we want to do to take this great club forward and I am confident that through the board’s ambition and the talent within our senior executive team we can make positive progress very quickly.”

Denise will continue in her post as deputy chief executive officer of the club and will take on the new role of executive chair with Everton in the Community.

She is the fifth member of the revamped Everton board, joining chief executive and club director Robert Elstone, who joined the board along with Alexander Ryazantsev following billionaire Farhad Moshiri’s investment in the club earlier this year.

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright commented: “On behalf of all the directors and Farhad, I am pleased to welcome Denise to the board.

“I’m pleased for her, of course, but also pleased for every Evertonian as I know Denise will be such a dedicated custodian of our club.”

He continued: “Over the last six years, Denise has brought energy and tenacity to both the club and the charity. She has transformed Everton in the Community – making it one of the most respected sports charities in the world and, most importantly, led initiatives that have changed and saved lives across the city.

“Working with Robert Elstone, Denise has also played a significant role in some of the club’s most important projects; projects that are not always seen from the outside but have helped put us in the strong position we are in today.”

Speaking further, Mr Kenwright said he believes Denise “embodies Everton”, adding: “To have her on the Board just makes perfect sense.”

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