Ian Ayre
Encyclopedia
Ian Ayre is a Scouse
businessman and the current Managing Director of Liverpool Football Club
.
. Aged 14, he won a competition to take a penalty in front of the Kop
, during the half time break at Chris Lawler
’s testimonial in 1978.
. After leaving the senior service, he then undertook various roles in business in Asia, eventually becoming Asia-Pacific director of Pace Systems.
Returning to the UK, he became Chief Executive of Huddersfield Town F.C.
for three years, before spending three years at sports TV firm Premium TV, an NTL
subsidiary. He then moved to Malaysia, as CEO of Total Sports Asia, which included managing interests in Total Sports TV
.
and George N. Gillett, Jr., in 2007 Ayre was appointed Commercial Director at Liverpool. He then successfully sourced and negotiated the shirt sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered Bank
. In 2011 he tried to negotiate a deal in which premier league clubs could choose their own TV package but this was rebuffed .
On 15 October 2010, NESV completed its £300m takeover of Liverpool, at which time the clubs existing Managing Director Christian Purslow
stepped down. The club's owners, Fenway Sports Group
, led by John W. Henry
and the chairman Tom Werner
, announced Ayre as the new Managing Director on 22 March 2011.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
businessman and the current Managing Director of Liverpool Football Club
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
.
Biography
Born in the Liverpool, he was educated at Litherland High SchoolLitherland High School
Litherland High School is a school in Litherland, Merseyside, England, headed by Mr Jim Donnelly since 1991. The address is Sterrix Lane, Litherland, Liverpool, Merseyside, L21 0DB . The school holds specialist Language College status, teaching many languages including Spanish, Italian, French,...
. Aged 14, he won a competition to take a penalty in front of the Kop
Kop
Spion Kop is a colloquial name or term for a number of terraces and stands at sports stadiums, particularly in the United Kingdom...
, during the half time break at Chris Lawler
Chris Lawler
Chris Lawler is a former footballer who enjoyed much of Liverpool's success of the 1960s and 1970s.-Life and playing career:...
’s testimonial in 1978.
Career
Leaving school at age 16, he joined the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. After leaving the senior service, he then undertook various roles in business in Asia, eventually becoming Asia-Pacific director of Pace Systems.
Returning to the UK, he became Chief Executive of Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
for three years, before spending three years at sports TV firm Premium TV, an NTL
NTL
NTL Incorporated, was a U.S.-listed British company, that became the first "quadruple-play" media-company in the UK, bringing together television, Internet, mobile phone and fixed-line telephone services. While NTL has its headquarters in New York City, the company's activities focus heavily on...
subsidiary. He then moved to Malaysia, as CEO of Total Sports Asia, which included managing interests in Total Sports TV
Total Sports TV
Total Sports TV is an online live sports streaming channel that is a partnership between Total Sports Asia and Octopus Media Technology. The channel was launched in July 2009 serving live sports content like the Thomas Cup & Uber Cup, Badminton World Championships and US Open Tennis.Its existing...
.
Liverpool FC
Head hunted by a team working for then owners Tom HicksTom Hicks
Thomas Ollis Hicks, Sr. , is an American 'leveraged buyout' businessman living in Dallas, Texas. Despite Forbes Magazine estimating Hicks' wealth at USD 1 billion in 2009, Hicks was unable to pay off joint loans of circa £200 million the following year...
and George N. Gillett, Jr., in 2007 Ayre was appointed Commercial Director at Liverpool. He then successfully sourced and negotiated the shirt sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered PLC is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom with operations in more than seventy countries...
. In 2011 he tried to negotiate a deal in which premier league clubs could choose their own TV package but this was rebuffed .
On 15 October 2010, NESV completed its £300m takeover of Liverpool, at which time the clubs existing Managing Director Christian Purslow
Christian Purslow
Christian Mark Cecil Purslow is a British-born businessman, co-founder of private equity firm MidOcean Partners, and former Managing Director of Liverpool Football Club.-Early life:...
stepped down. The club's owners, Fenway Sports Group
New England Sports Ventures
Fenway Sports Group is an American sports investment company. It is the parent company of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox and Premier League football club Liverpool F.C.....
, led by John W. Henry
John W. Henry
John William Henry II is a futures and foreign exchange trading advisor who founded John W. Henry & Company . He is the principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C., and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. In March 2006, Boston Magazine estimated his net worth at $1.1 billion, but noted...
and the chairman Tom Werner
Tom Werner
Thomas Charles "Tom" Werner is an American television producer and businessman who, via his investment in New England Sports Ventures, is chairman of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club....
, announced Ayre as the new Managing Director on 22 March 2011.