Following seven years as Director of Operations and Development at the Academy and five months as Interim Academy Director, Charlotte O’Neill has been appointed to the role of Managing Director – Manchester City Women.
Charlotte will succeed Gavin Makel who after 10 highly successful years at the helm of Manchester City Women is making a key internal move to become Director of Services and Operations as part of the Club’s entertainment destination project.
O’Neill, who will officially take up her new position on 1 December, has a wealth of experience, having held key positions within the Academy since joining the Club in 2015.
She has spent the past five months working as City’s Interim Academy Director, having taken up the crucial role following the departure of previous incumbent Jason Wilcox after his departure to Southampton at the start of July.
Prior to taking up that position, Charlotte had spent more than seven years working as the Academy’s Director of Operations and Development.
That important job saw her responsible for the strategic planning, operation and development of the Academy where – amongst other responsibilities – she helped manage the development, welfare and education of the Club’s cohort of young players.
Makel meanwhile takes on his new role after 10 hugely successful years, the latter three as Managing Director, during which time he was responsible for all aspects of the business operation of City’s women’s side, overseeing business planning, marketing and ticketing as well as player recruitment.
Makel departs the women’s set-up having transformed the Club both on and off the pitch, ensuring that it is perfectly placed to embark on its next phase of growth.
Chief Football Operations Officer Omar Berrada said: “Gavin has been instrumental to the last decade of women’s football here at Manchester City.
“He has not only ensured that our Club has remained at the forefront of the women’s game in this country since its relaunch in January 2014, but his role on the FA Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship Board has also been invaluable to the wider sport.
“We would like to thank him for his dedication throughout that time and are delighted that he will remain part of Manchester City in his new role.
“We look forward to Charlotte joining our women’s football operation in December as we look to further build on the foundations that have been laid over the last 10 years.”
Makel’s new role, which he will also officially begin on 1 December, will see him take on a key role within the Club’s Operations Team.
This new role follows the Club’s announcement earlier this year that plans for a best-in-class fan experience and year-round entertainment and leisure destination at the Etihad Stadium had been approved by Manchester City Council.
Upon completion the Club’s development will include several connected all-weather facilities, fully integrated into the stadium, centred around an expanded North Stand. There will be one larger, single upper tier above the existing lower tier, increasing capacity to over 60,000.
A covered City Square fan zone, with capacity for 3,000 people and a wide variety of food and drink outlets, a new club shop, museum, workspace and a 400-bed hotel will also be constructed.
