Sunderland AFC can confirm the appointment of its talented legal director Margaret Byrne as the club's CEO following the restructuring of its executive board.
A rising star in both legal circles and the football industry and short-listed for the UK's prestigious Solicitor of the Year award in October, the 31 year-old has been instrumental in the acquisition and sale of players and contract negotiations at the Stadium of Light since her appointment as Sunderland's legal director and club secretary in January 2007.
Byrne, who currently sits on the Premier League's expert Legal Advisory Group, has headed both the club's specialist legal team and the complexities of football administration alongside her prominent role in player transfers in recent seasons and will take up her new position with immediate effect.
Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn said: "Margaret has been a true driving force at the club since her appointment here more than four years ago and the fact that the club has gone from strength to strength on and off the pitch in that period is no coincidence.
"She has enormous passion for our football club and as its CEO, she will continue with the fantastic work that has gone before and will play a key role as the club continues to grow."
As part of its restructuring, Angela Lowes has joined the Sunderland AFC board as finance director after 11 years in the club's busy finance department.
