:Katrien Meire

Meire studied law at University of Leuven, completing her LLM in 2007. She continued her studies in Competition Law at University College London for a further year.{{cite web|url= https://www.law.kuleuven.be/vrgalumni/alumniprijs| title= Laureaten VRG-Alumniprijs| publisher=VRG Alumni| access-date=20 June 2016|language=nl}}{{cite web|url= https://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/people/18801897-katrien-meire| title=Katrien Meire| publisher=Bloomberg| access-date=20 June 2016}} She has worked for law firms Olswang and Baker & McKenzie in the area of competition law, particularly mergers and acquisitions and cartels.{{cite book| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=nNAaBQAAQBAJ&q=Katrien+Meire%E2%80%8E| title= Wet & Duiding Sport| last1=De Herdt| first1=Jeroen| last2=Kerremans| first2=Johan| language=nl| publisher=Primento| date=July 2013| isbn= 9782804459758| access-date=20 June 2016}} In 2016, Meire was awarded the VRG-Alumniprijs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.kuleuven.be/vrgalumni/alumniprijs|title=Laureaten VRG-Alumniprijs}}

In 2011, Meire provided legal advice to Roland Duchâtelet, involving TV rights issues with Sint-Truidense V.V.; Meire is a supporter of Sint-Truiden.{{cite news|url= http://www.sudinfo.be/1109146/article/2014-09-24/katrien-meire-le-bras-droit-de-charme-de-roland-duchatelet-se-confie-j-ai-du-lic| title= KATRIEN MEIRE, LE BRAS DROIT DE CHARME DE ROLAND DUCHÂTELET, SE CONFIE: "J'AI DÛ LICENCIER DES GENS, ET CE N'EST PAS AGRÉABLE"

| work=Sud Info| language=fr| date=24 September 2014| access-date=19 June 2016}}{{cite news|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29130982| title= Charlton boss Meire part of select female football club| last=Wilson| first=Bill| work=BBC News| date=10 September 2014| access-date=19 June 2016}} Meire's involvement in football continued when she worked as the "Legal and International Relations Manager" for Standard Liège, another club owned by Duchâtelet.{{cite news| url= http://www.rtl.be/sport/football/football-belgique/choisie-par-duchatelet-pour-gerer-charlton-katrien-meire-repond-aux-questions-qui-derangent-597227.aspx| title= Choisie par Duchâtelet pour gérer Charlton, Katrien Meire répond aux questions qui dérangent| work=RTL Group| language=fr| date=24 September 2014| access-date=20 June 2016}}{{cite news|url= http://www.castrust.org/2014/01/all-change-at-cafc/| title= Takeover: CAFC Board All Change – Katrien Meire is latest Director|work=Charlton Athletic Supporters trust| date=10 January 2014| access-date=20 June 2016}}

After Duchâtelet's purchase of Charlton Athletic in 2014, Meire was appointed as the Chief Executive of the club.{{cite news|url= http://www.wharf.co.uk/sport/bogus-documents-announce-charlton-chiefs-10873197| title= Bogus documents announce Charlton chief's resignation| work=The Wharf| date=11 February 2016| access-date=19 June 2016}} She was one of only a few female club executives at the time.{{cite news|url= https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/katrien-meire-ive-had-frightening-abuse-from-charlton-fans-but-i-love-leading-role-10131362.html| title= Katrien Meire: I've had frightening abuse from Charlton fans… but I love leading role| last=Bose| first=Misir| work=London Evening Standard|date= 25 March 2015| access-date=20 June 2016}} Meire commented on this saying that she didn't believe she was treated differently for being a female chief executive, adding that "people are quite receptive to the idea of a woman chief executive."

In September 2016, season ticket sales had fallen to 6,297, from 10,278 at the same time the previous year.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/sep/08/charlton-athletic-boycotts-roland-duchatelet-katrien-meire|title=Charlton aiming to rise again against backdrop of fury and boycotts|date=8 September 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=29 September 2016}} In January 2015, Meire was confronted on a train about the appointment of manager Guy Luzon after Charlton lost 5–0 to Watford; Meire claimed that there were 20 applicants for the job, including former Charlton manager Alan Curbishley. After the incident, Meire said fans should "accept how we run the club".{{cite news|url=http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/950/Buitenlands-Voetbal/article/detail/2186038/2015/01/18/Belgische-CEO-Charlton-in-pittige-discussie-met-misnoegde-fans-op-trein.dhtml|title=Belgische CEO Charlton in pittige discussie met misnoegde fans op trein|date=18 January 2015|work=Het Laatste Nieuws|access-date=19 June 2016|language=nl}}{{cite web|url=http://www.101greatgoals.com/news/social/charltons-ceo-katrien-meire-confronted-on-the-train-by-an-addicks-fan-over-guy-luzon-appointment/|title=Charlton's CEO Katrien Meire confronted on the train by an Addicks fan over Guy Luzon appointment|last=Newman|first=Benjamin|date=18 January 2015|publisher=101 Great Goals|access-date=19 June 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/charlton-chief-executive-katrien-meire-fans-must-accept-how-we-run-club-9981096.html|title=Charlton chief executive Katrien Meire: Fans must accept how we run club|last=Muro|first=Giuseppe|date=15 January 2015|work=London Evening Standard|access-date=19 June 2016}}

That same year, Meire was appointed as one of four Football League representatives to the FA Council. She was subsequently re-elected the following summer, in August 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/15475996.charlton-chief-executive-re-elected-to-fa-council/|title=Charlton chief executive re-elected to FA Council|website=News Shopper|language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}}

In May 2016, Meire claimed she had received "extreme abuse" from Charlton fans, particularly after the club's relegation to League One for the 2016–17 season; some fans turned up to Meire's parents' house in Belgium, and she also claimed some supporters had committed criminal offences against her.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/05/12/i-have-suffered-extreme-abuse-says-charlton-executive-katrien-me/|title=I have suffered extreme abuse, says Charlton executive Katrien Meire|last=Rumsby|first=Ben|date=12 May 2016|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=19 June 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/12/charlton-athletic-chief-executive-katrien-meire-fans|title=Charlton Athletic chief executive hits out at fans who 'cross line' in protests|date=12 May 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=19 June 2016}} A few days beforehand, there had been protests aimed at Meire during Charlton's last match of the 2015–16 season when she was branded a 'liar' by the club's supporters for a series of unfortunate statements which were all subsequently proven to be false.{{cite news|url=http://lebuzz.eurosport.co.uk/viral/charlton-fans-make-their-point-with-inventive-banner-aimed-at-owners-14132/|title=Charlton fans make their point with inventive banner aimed at owners|date=7 May 2016|work=Eurosport|access-date=19 June 2016}}

During her time running Charlton, the club underwent eight managerial changes{{cite news|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36460179| title= Charlton Athletic appoint Russell Slade as manager after Championship relegation| work=BBC Sport| date=6 June 2016| access-date=29 September 2016}} and was relegated to League One, the third tier of English football.{{cite news|url= https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/apr/19/charlton-athletic-relegated-league-one-bolton | title= Charlton Athletic relegated to League One after draw at Bolton| work=The Guardian| date=19 April 2016| access-date=29 September 2016}} The club were particularly unsuccessful in the transfer market during her tenure in the club. Underselling a whole host of talented English players, without sell on fees negotiated, and over paying for failed foreign players. Nick Pope broke into the first team during the 2015–16 season before being sold to Burnley for £1 million, and then becoming an England international within two years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/17311641.charltons-pope-berg-gudmundsson-and-lookman-how-are-they-doing/|title=Where are they now? The players Charlton sold: Part 1|website=News Shopper|language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}} Ademola Lookman was sold to Everton for a divisional record of £7.9 million during the 2016–17 season, having made a name for himself the previous season following a breakthrough from the club's academy. The sales were credited with Charlton announcing their first profit in thirteen years, after the two previous seasons having increased losses.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cafc.co.uk/news/view/5ac4a201ed32d/charlton-athletic-accounts-filed-for-year-ending-june-2017|title=Charlton Athletic accounts filed for year ending June 2017|last=ITRM|website=www.cafc.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}}

Meire left her Charlton Chief Executive role at the end of December 2017.{{cite news| url= https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/dec/28/charlton-owner-takeover-talks-ceo-steps-down| title= Charlton owner in takeover talks as CEO Katrien Meire steps down | work=The Guardian| date=28 December 2017| accessdate=28 December 2017}}{{cite news| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42503116| title= Charlton Athletic: Katrien Meire to stand down as chief executive| work=BBC Sport| date=28 December 2017| accessdate=28 December 2017}}

On 1 January 2018, Meire was named Chief Executive of Sheffield Wednesday, with the club then in 16th position in the Championship.{{cite news|url=https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2018/january/owls-announce-chief-executive-officer/|title=Owls announce Chief Executive Officer|date=1 January 2018|work=swfc.co.uk|accessdate=1 January 2018}} She has been described as a 'steady influence' at the club'. Meire has credited this to the fact she is "away from the forefront of the club compared to my previous club".{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/01/26/katrienmeire-abuse-forced-leave-charlton-fans-knew-took-train/|title=Katrien Meire on the abuse that forced her to leave Charlton: 'Fans knew where I took the train – it only takes one crazy person'|last=Field|first=Pippa|date=2019-01-26|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2019-02-05|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} On 11 February 2019, Meire and the club announced in a statement that she had vacated her role as Chief Executive Officer. Meire praised the "fantastic support" of the club's fanbase, and told the club's website that she "felt a warm welcome from everyone at the club and the fans at games and around the city".{{Cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11703/11634840/katrien-meire-quits-as-sheffield-wednesday-chief-executive|title=Katrien Meire quits as Sheffield Wednesday chief executive|website=Sky Sports|language=en|access-date=2019-02-12}} In December 2019, Meire and chairman Dejphon Chansiri were charged by the EFL with misconduct relating to the sale of Hillsborough during her spell as CEO to Chansiri for £60m. The move enabled Wednesday to post a small operating profit and avoid possible penalties for exceeding FFP regulations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/12/02/exclusive-sheffield-wednesday-chairman-could-banned-football/|title=Exclusive: Sheffield Wednesday chairman could be banned from football over stadium deal|last=Percy|first=John|date=2019-12-02|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2019-12-10|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} In March 2020 the EFL dropped the charges against the individuals, but the case against the football club is still ongoing.{{Cite web|url= https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11703/11961261/sheffield-wednesday-owner-dejphon-chansiri-sees-efl-misconduct-charge-dropped | title=Dejphon Chansiri sees charges dropped by EFL |website=Sky Sports|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Women chief executives

Category:Belgian chief executives

Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. non-playing staff

Category:Alumni of University College London

Category:KU Leuven alumni

Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. non-playing staff

Category:1984 births

Category:Women association football executives

Category:Alumni of the UCL Faculty of Laws