The EFL Trust has announce that Uma Cresswell has been named as a new member of its Board. Uma will join as one of four Independent Trustees and brings the EFL Trust Board to full strength at the start of 2022.

The EFL Trust is the charitable arm of the EFL and was established in 2008 to oversee the work of EFL club community organisations, such as Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. It is responsible for distributing core funding from the Premier League and The PFA to each CCO and highlights community work done by clubs across the country. Our Trust has worked with the EFL Trust for more than a decade and many projects are still ongoing.

Following her appointment, Uma will join Senior Independent Trustee and CEO of Felix Project, Charlotte Hill OBE; Roger Davidson, Director of Engagement and Communications for Health System Transformation at the NHS and Robbie Drye, Head of Financial Planning and Analysis at London Marathon Group as Independent Trustees. Uma is a Non-Executive Director serving on a number of boards both in the private and third sector, whilst running her own international HR consulting business and an enthusiastic Leicester City fan. Uma has extensive expertise in inclusive leadership, cultural sensitivity, strategy, behaviours, change and transformation.

Uma’s motivation for becoming an EFL Trust Board member stem from both personal experiences as a migrant from Uganda and her outstanding 25-year career including global senior HR roles within the highly regulated Financial Services sector, with a clear understanding of just how powerful football clubs can be within their fan bases and wider communities.

She said: “I feel strongly about the opportunity for sharing best practice between private sector businesses and the charitable arm of the EFL within the football industry. I am excited to have the opportunity to be the bridge between these two diverse sectors and be a catalyst for change moving forward. I passionately believe that football has the platform and power to break down barriers and connect people from socially and culturally diverse backgrounds on a global scale. My ambition is to support organisations that are looking to build and foster a high-performance culture of equality, inclusion and belonging.”

Uma moved from the highly regulated financial services industry into consultancy and has since been focused on giving back to organisations that have a strong and clearly defined social purpose. Uma is currently serving as Chair and President of City Women Network and is passionate about developing talent and supporting women of colour. As an EFL Trust Independent Trustee, Uma will be focusing on safeguarding and leading on Trust policies that will focus on the people in our communities including giving them a voice, an opportunity to influence and a strong sense of belonging.

EFL Trust Chair, Liam Scully said: “I am delighted to welcome Uma to the Board of Trustees. She brings a vast amount of executive and non-executive experience to our group and we are confident that we will significantly benefit from this. Along with the re-election of Robbie Drye and Roger Davidson who are appointed for a second term, this puts our Board at full strength, and ideally positioned to meet the challenges that are immediately ahead of us. Along with the re-election of Robbie Drye and Roger Davidson who are appointed for a second term, this puts our Board at full strength, and ideally positioned to meet the challenges that are immediately ahead of us.”