Samuel Okafor named new Kick it Out chief executive
Kick it Out has announced former NatWest executive director Samuel Okafor will take over as its chief executive next month; The former footballer had spells at a variety of non-league clubs including Dover Athletic, Enfield Town, Sittingbourne, Hampton and Richmond, and Bromley.
Monday 24 June 2024 12:56, UK
Anti-discrimination group Kick it Out has announced former NatWest executive director Samuel Okafor will take over as its chief executive next month.
The 42-year-old former footballer, who recently served as an executive director at Coutts, the private bank run by NatWest, had spells at a variety of non-league clubs including Dover Athletic, Enfield Town, Sittingbourne, Hampton and Richmond, and Bromley.
While playing, Okafor joined NatWest as a customer service advisor, eventually working his way up over two decades to executive director at the bank, where he also co-led the Racial Equality Taskforce.
Okafor said: "As a former footballer, Kick It Out's commitment to eradicating discrimination and making football a sport where everyone feels they belong connects deeply with my passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
"The opportunity to contribute to creating a more equitable and welcoming environment across football is incredibly motivating. I look forward to starting the role and working with the team to drive the organisation forward."
Okafor succeeds Tony Burnett, who in January announced he was retiring at the end of the 2023-24 season to spend time with his family and pursue other projects.
Kick it Out chair Sanjay Bhandari said: "We're delighted to welcome Samuel as our new CEO. His background as a footballer and his subsequent business career in banking will bring a rich depth and breadth of leadership experience to Kick It Out.
"We are excited to have him lead the next stage of our journey."
Kick It Out and Sky extend partnership to champion inclusion and combat discrimination
Sky has extended its partnership with Kick It Out, pledging an additional £1m investment over the next year.
Following its initial £3m investment in 2021, Sky is pledging this additional package over the next year through a mix of cash and value in kind support.
The partnership has supported several initiatives crucial to driving inclusion in football and tackling discrimination in all its forms, including a scholarship for students from under-represented backgrounds to enrol in a Football Industries MBA.
The extension of this partnership will help create additional educational content for clubs and fans, and boost annual transparency and insight reports on a range of issues relating to diversity, discrimination, and inclusion in sport.
Sky is funding this through its £30m commitment made in June 2020 to accelerate action on racial injustice and to invest more in inclusion.
Stephen van Rooyen, UK & Ireland CEO and Chief Commercial Officer, Sky Group, said: "Sky is football's biggest partner in the UK which means we have a responsibility in helping the clubs, players, fans, and industry become more inclusive.
"Extending our partnership with Kick It Out for another year means that we will be able to develop new initiatives aimed at addressing discrimination in sports and continue to deliver campaigns that make a difference."
