Arsenal have hired former Manchester City Airport boss, Karen Smart, as their new chief operating officer.

Karen Smart via LinkedIn
Karen Smart via LinkedIn

Arsenal have hired Karen Smart as their new chief operating officer.

Smart resigned from her position as Managing Director of Manchester City Airport (MAG) back in April amid growing dissatisfaction at staff shortages and long passenger queues.

At the time, Smart said she was leaving the role to ‘pursue fresh opportunities’ after being promoted to the thankless task of Managing Director at the start of the pandemic.

Moving to football is certainly ‘fresh’ given her career in the aviation industry to date.

Smart confirmed the move on her LinkedIn profile and has been appointed to the role of chief operating officer at Arsenal to replace Hywel Sloman.

Delighted to have started a new position as Chief Operating Officer at Arsenal F.C! An exciting year ahead for all the squads and the business as a whole

She wrote, “Delighted to have started a new position as Chief Operating Officer at Arsenal F.C! An exciting year ahead for all the squads and the business as a whole.”

On Smart’s profile, she describes herself as, “Commercially focused and dynamic business leader with an impressive track record of success in the private and public outsourced services, transforming businesses through growth and cost controls. Highly motivated and versatile with a breadth of experience in both strategic and business scenarios, possessing excellent communication skills combined with the ability to build and maintains high value relationships, influencing people at all levels including Exec Board.”

Prior to working for MAG, Smart also worked as a Director of Asset Management and Customer Service Director at Stansted Airport as well as a Partnership Director for Operational Support Services, also in the aviation industry.